You are the music in me
by BreatheSemperMea
Summary: A/U: Callie and Arizona and their friends are TV-Show-Actors. We start somewhere in season 7 before the Music Event. But of course, it's not all sunshine and rainbow and some things happen. And it's not so long until one of them has a decission to make. Will their love be enough after everything? Lot's of music in it, not only the Music Event OST.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own anything...of course...

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General POV

"Shit, shit shit! No, no, no! That can't work. That would not be good!", she came running through the door, coming to a stop, when her legs finally hit the couch.

"Uhm, okay? What's gotten into you?", Theodora – better known as Teddy – asked. She'd spent the last few minutes in her dressing room, reading her lines over and over again. The loud exclamation of an angry Arizona had torn her concentration apart.

"That would never work. Not in a million years. This is a fiasco, that's what it is!"

"What's up? Is Jessica supposed to kiss a guy?", Teddy joked and got an evil look by the ice-blue eyes in return.

"That is not funny, Teddy. Not even a bit. I am dead." She sat up and looked deep in the eyes of her best friend. "Can you help me...to...uhm...escape, maybe?"

"Escape? Arizona, I don't even know what's gotten your panties in a twist."

"The Music Event."  
"What's with that? We all knew it was still on the table, since I started to work here, actually."

"The episode itself is not the problem", Arizona said.

"What? Do people die when they hear you sing?"

"Even that would not be a problem", she growled.

Teddy didn't understand it. For more than a year now, she was standing in front of cameras and teams for one of the best medical TV-shows of the USA. Heartbeat has just gotten better every year since the first season aired a few years ago. In fact, it was so good, that they started shooting season seven three weeks ago. Everything was great. "Then tell me what it is."

"I am supposed to sing a duet with my girlfriend. I mean, in the show. A duet! With extra rehearsals in the evenings and at night, because we of course still have to shoot during daytime. At the piano, because you can feel it better. This episode is totally Jessica and Sara centered, what would be good...if I could do it. I can't do that, Teddy."  
"Oh..." Teddy knew, Arizona was completely smitten by the tall dark haired Latina with those full lips. And everybody could understand her. Hell, even she was a little jealous of that curvy body. "I assume...you know that for what? Five minutes?"  
"Yep, Shonda told us and I came here right away. Teddy, I mean it. I can't do that. I can't sit next to her and pretend as if there's nothing going on."  
Teddy walked over to Arizona and sat down beside her. "Look at me."  
Arizona didn't even blink.

"I said, look at me."  
Deep blue eyes met the green eyes of her best friend and held the gaze.

"You had to kiss her God knows how many times. You were a nervous wreck before your first kiss and still, you survived."

"Yes, but there are so many people around us. That makes it utterly different. And believe me, I was SO close to kiss her properly, and not just once." She held her index finger and thumb with minimal distance from each other in front of Teddy's face. "SO close, Teddy", she repeated.

Teddy tried to say something, but was interrupted by a soft knock in the door. "Come in."  
"Hey", they heard as the Latina came in.

"Oh, hey, Callie", Teddy greeted back when Arizona could not say a word to save her life.

"Can I talk to you?", Callie asked.

Teddy took a quick glance at Arizona. Her head shook no, not enough for everyone to see, but with her eyes wide open as her best friend stood up. "I have to be on set anyways. See you in the OR", she smiled and left the two alone.

"What's up?" It seemed to Arizona that all the words she knew had just left her mind.

"Uhm, Shonda said we, I mean, you and me should rehearse. I..uhm...well, I do have a piano a home. We could...if you want, that is...tonight?"  
Arizona didn't hear the uncertainty in the Latina's voice. She thought for a moment. Maybe it was better to get it done sooner rather than later. "Sure, I mean, okay. I...what time?"

"Around eight? I...I could cook something?"  
"Okay."  
"Great! I mean, good. That's my address." She tried to write as neat as possible – in vain. Her handwriting was most of the time not readable for everyone, sometimes not even for herself. "So, see you in the OR." She grinned and left Arizona alone.

"Terrific. Please, let me live through tonight without embarrassing myself too much."

When Arizona stopped her car in front of the estate, she gulped a couple of times. That was way too much for the salary of a simple TV actress. Well, maybe not way too much...but too much for the long term. With legs like jello, she made her way up to the front door and rang the bell.

"Hey", a grinning Callie opened the door for her. "Come in. Dinner should be ready in ten minutes." She took Arizona's coat and put it in her closet.

"Do you live here? I mean, alone?"  
"Yeah. I grew up in this house since I turned nine or ten. My father bought it as we moved here. They gave it to my sister and me when they moved back to Miami, but my sister's still kinda finding her way in her life. She travels a lot. But sometimes it's too big for myself, but then I just turn up some old music and I see my parents dancing slowly through the living room." She didn't even know why she was Arizona telling all that. "Okay...I am sorry for my rambling", she added laughing, downplaying the embarrassing moment.

"That's okay. I really like to get to know the people around me." And this time it was Arizona who was mentally slapping her hand against her head.

"Would you like a drink? We've got water, wine, juice."

"Wine would be perfect", Arizona said. She hoped it would calm her nerves.

"Red or white?"  
"Why don't you tell me?" Oh no, that war flirting. No, no, no, stop that.

"I think you prefer...uhm...white?", Callie answered questioningly. Her eyes pierced through Arizona with such ease.

"Right", the blonde answered shortly. "Where's the piano?"

"Over there", Callie pointed to an open door at the end of the hallway. Though, there was nothing to see except for a white wall. "You can look around, if you want. I have to see if the dinner's ready." Silence filled the room for a moment. "And I have to get you a glass of wine."

She left a perplexed Arizona behind. 'Should I really just snoop around?" She waited a few seconds, then left off for a room that looked very much like the living room. Frames were hanging from fixtures. There were pictures and certificates. She stepped closer. 'Singing contest. First place. Calliope I. Torres.' Under her name was a printed microphone.

"Here's your wine", said the Latina.

Arizona startled. "What?"  
"Hey, why so jumpy?"

"I, uhm...thank you, Calliope", Arizona said.

"Only my parents call me that", Callie said, curling up her nose. The tone in her voice too neutral to be identified as a really angry.

"It is a beautiful name. I like it. And it suits you."  
"It does? How so?"

"It means beautiful voice." Arizona blushed lightly. "She was one of the nine muses of Greek mythology. Uhm...poetry, if I remember correctly."

Callie was a little surprised because of Arizona's knowledge. Not that she'd ever thought of Arizona as stupid, but not everybody would know that much about her name – or names in general.

"And it fits the name of your sister", Arizona continued. "Aria, song or melody."

"I am impressed."  
"Me too", Arizona said and blushed once again as she took a quick glance at Callie's cleavage. "I mean, first place at a singing contest. No wonder this episode will be all about you."  
"As far as I remember, it's about you and me."  
"Uhm, yes...until they hear my voice. That would be the end of it", Arizona grinned. Her dimples came out on full force, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Come on, let's eat. After that, I want to hear you sing." Callie took Arizona's hand and pulled her along. Something rocked through the body of the blonde. Something good. Something warm. A really good feeling.

'Stay focused', Arizona admonished herself.

"Would you sing for me first?", Arizona asked. Since she saw all the awards, she felt even more insecure than before.

"Scared?", Callie asked.  
Arizona nodded. "Calliope...please, sing for me."  
"Okay." She rose from her chair and put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and left.

"Where are you going?"

"If I should sing for you, I'll do it to my conditions."

"Oh...okay."

"You should come with me", Callie laughed and walked ahead into the room that held her grand piano. Her everything. Her Steinway & Sons. In classic black in a room that was white from the floor to the ceiling. She sat down at the stool and waited for Arizona to follow.

A few seconds later the blonde walked through the door and her breathing stopped. Sitting behind the piano, the Latina seemed even more beautiful. She seemed to glow from the inside.

"Close the door", Callie whispered.

"Why?", Arizona asked. Stupid question.

"It sounds better", Callie answered quietly.

Arizona did as she was told and leaned against the doorframe.

In the exact same moment, Callie closed her eyes and laid her hands gently on the keys. She felt the magic of the black elevations running through her body. It calmed her. If she was down, or angry, or sad, she always sat down behind her piano. It worked for years.

"What are you going to play?" Arizona asked in a very quiet voice, but Callie didn't answer. She took one last deep breath and began to play.

_I'm not surprised,_

_not everything lasts._

_I've broken my heart so many times,_

_I stop keeping track._

Her voice was so clear, and as it filled the room, the piano completely faded out for Arizona. She could only hear that beautiful voice. 'Calliope...it is a perfect name, indeed.'

"You still with me?", Callie asked. The song had ended a good two minutes ago, but Arizona still stood in the doorframe. She was not talking. Was she even breathing?  
"That was...wow, Calliope, I...I am speechless."  
It was Callie's time to blush. She was aware of her talent, of course. But she'd never played in private for anyone that was not her family. Especially not for someone like Arizona.  
"Come here", she said softly and patted the place beside her on the stool.

The blonde hesitated. Being that close to Callie could be her death. Still, she walked over to the piano and sat down beside the taller woman. The scent of her perfume flowed through her nose. She was so close – too close. "Calliope, I..."  
"Yes?", Callie whispered and gulped. The blonde was making her nervous. Not just since today, of course. She's always been a little clumsy around Arizona. Those eyes. That smile. Those damn dimples. She got weaker. At work, she had to hold herself together. There were so many people. But right now? Right here? She really thought, a nice dinner, a little practicing, she could do that. But now, with Arizona being that close? "We should...uhm...rehearse", she said.

"Calliope", Arizona repeated. Her gaze fixed on those brown eyes in front of her. Endless. Made, to get lost in it. "I..." She closed the distance between them, until her lips were mere inches away from the Latina's. She closed her eyes and... Suddenly, she could think again. "I...I can't. Not today. I have to go!" She quickly got up and soon Callie heard front door being closed.

'What happened?'

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AN: Yeah...what was that all about?

AN2: English is not my first language, I hope you don't mind

AN3: I have about 181 pages written in German...so, if you want, there's a lot more where this has come from.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own anything

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AN2: So, I just took one of my favorite scenes from S6 and switched to 'S7', just for fun :D

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**Arizona's POV**

„What are you smiling about?", Teddy asked. She came walking down the hallway, her jeans tugged in her boots that were making really ugly noises with every step she made. And as every day, she had her beloved iPod in her hand and one plug in her ear.

I stood with my back to the wall, hands in the back pockets of my pants. Across the hall, a hard wooded door – but not just any ordinary door. No, it was the door to Callie's and Cristina's changing room. "Ssshh", I hushed and laid my index finger on my lips.

"Oh no. What now?"  
I didn't answer, instead I just pulled the plug out of her left ear and waited.

"Whoa", was all Teddy could come up with.

I just nodded.

"I didn't knew she could sing _that_ good", Teddy whispered.

"It suits her name", I answered.

"Huh?"

"Calliope, beautiful-", I stopped mid-sentence, grabbed Teddy's wrist and dragged her with me. Just a few seconds later, Callie's door flew open and I heard her walking down the hall. Without a word, I got us moving again and we finally made it to our room.

"Can you please tell me what that was all about?", Teddy asked, still whispering.

"I", I started in a low voice, shook my head and cleared my throat, "I didn't want her to see me standing there."  
"Aaaaaand why didn't you?"

I looked away.

"Oh no! Don't tell me you did it!" That shit eating grin on her face was so big, one would think her lips ranged from one ear to the other.

"What? No!"  
"Oh, come on. That stupid smile on your face tells me everything I need to know. You two totally did it. I want details!" Teddy sat down in the armchair across, tapping nervously with her fingers on the chair.

"You want details?"

"Hell, yes! Everything. The not so dirty ones, but especially the dirty ones!"

She was so excited. Fine, let's feed her with some details. "Did you know, that Calliope lives in a house? Like, a mansion?"  
"Wait wait, stop right there. Calliope?" Nobody's allowed to call her that, you know? Not even Mark Sloan. Wow, you really rocked her world, huh?" Maybe I should try it with a girl..."  
"Teddy!" I turned beet red.

"Okay okay, sorry. Go on, please."  
"She made dinner. Oh my God, Teddy, that was so good. Something with chicken. Fucking yummy..."  
"Oh, I believe you", Teddy said, again with a dirty grin on her face.

I decided to let it go and just ignore her comment. "I asked her to sing for me first. Did you know, that she did first place in a singing contest when she was sixteen?"  
"Arizona, I am not sure if you remember, but Callie and I don't know each other for fifteen years. I am your best friend, not hers", Teddy smirked.

"Yeah, whatever. Well, she sang for me. And she played the piano. And then she asked me to sit down beside her."

"And then you made a girl on girl version of 'Pretty Woman'?", Teddy interrupted. "Please tell me that's what you did", she begged.

"What?"  
"Well, you know. That scene in the bar, when Edward and Vivian..."  
"Our faces got closer and closer. It was like magnets being drawn to each other. And then I left." I lowered my head so Teddy was not able to see my red cheeks.

"You did WHAT? Arizona, please tell me you didn't. How could you let such a chance go to waste?"  
"I did. I'm sorry if I disappointed you, Theodora. But that's all that happened."  
Teddy wanted to say something, but at the exact same second, somebody opened the door to our changing room. It took one look of my best friend to read of my face who was standing there. Calliope. I really prayed Teddy wouldn't leave me again.

"Hey, uhm...we're due on set in a few. And I thought, that maybe, if you want to...get through our lines?"  
"Yeah, because there's so much text to remember while Lexie's going to bust you in the shower", Teddy winked at me. If I could kill her with eyes, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Uhm, well...I was actually talking to Teddy and it was kinda important", I answered with a shaky voice. 'Great, Arizona, just great. Why don't you just throw yourself at her?'

"Oh, sorry. Uhm...well, I just...I, uhm..."  
"It's okay", Teddy said. "I need to talk to Shonda anyway. Ask her if we all are supposed to sing at the Music Event."

'Seriously? She was doing it again?' "Teddy?"

"What? I have to know. Maybe I have to start practicing myself." And with that, she passed Callie and left us alone.

"So...about last night", I started after a moment of shock. It was now or never. We'd still have to work together, so it would be better to talk and get over it.

"Hey, you know what? It's fine. I understand if you were scared...or something. Though, I don't bite."

And there it was again. That megawatt smile. "I still want to say that I am sorry. Maybe we could really rehearse the next time?"  
"Of course", she answered. "What about tonight? Shonda and the guys are just making the final choice of the songs."  
"Uhm..." Say something, Arizona, anything. "Sure! Why not? Around 8pm? I could bring pizza or we could order in."  
"That would be nice. So...well...see you later."  
And with that, she closed the door behind her and left me alone. 'Arizona...if that script won't kill you, you'll manage that just fine on your own.'

**Callie's POV**

"Ready?"  
"Ready", Arizona and I said in unison.

"Okay, Callie, you'll have your back against the glass wall of the shower. Don't worry. The audience won't see anything, at least nothing interesting below you collar bone." Arizona and I were already standing in front of the shower, still wearing bathrobes. But under those, only our panties. Anything else was not allowed, so nobody would see any bra straps or dark shadows of some fabric. To be honest, I was too nervous to even listen to the instructions Nick gave us, although he did always a great job with that. The best at 'Heartbeat' to be exact. 'Damn. What did he just say? Right hand up? Or was it left? Or was that one supposed to be in Arizona's neck? Fuck!'

When Lexie walks in, don't try to look too shocked. Smirk a little, maybe even laugh. This scene should stay on the funny side of things. Got it?", Nick finished.

"Got it!", I said and added quietly, "well...just go for it." I had no problem with being naked – or almost naked. I was comfortable with my body and skin, though I was not some skinny pale model. Without further thinking, I took of my bathrobe and let it slide down my body before I stepped into the shower. There was no hot water running down or anything. Arizona and I got our hair wet before and it was freaking cold now. "You coming?", I asked and held my hand out for Arizona. "It's damn cold in here."  
"So, you're saying it will get warmer with me being in there too?"  
"Uhm..." Okay, I so did not expect that answer, I admit. I'm a little speechless.

"What's wrong, Calliope? Nothing to say to that?"  
I gulped. Where was the Arizona from last night? The one who ran away? The one who sat in her changing room? But the moment I came up with something to say, she let go of her robe as well. And now I gulped again, audible this time. But it felt like I just couldn't get rid of the big knot in my throat. My mind started to work again as Arizona took my hand and stepped into the shower with me.

**Arizona's POV**

'Okay, Arizona, you can do that. Take a breath. You had to shoot scenes before where you had to be naked. It's nothing bad. It's just Calliope. She's even a woman and not a man. Oh, a damn hot woman. Oh God, those miraculous curves of her hips and...' I closed my eyes for a moment to collect myself. 'Here we go.' I took her hand, that was still waiting for me and stepped into the shower with her. I tried to look just in her eyes. Oh, bad mistake. That deep soulful brown. Too deep for me to stand it. I got lost in them immediately and before I could even react, I stumbled. Our naked bodies crashed into each other and she stumbled backwards against the glass.

"Hey, I didn't say action!", Nick shouted laughing.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry. I don't even know what happened."

"That's...that's okay", Callie stammered.

I looked to the side. 'Don't blush. Don't blush.'

"I think that was the best rehearsal you'd ever get", she said, now too laughing.

"Ah Ladies, change of plan. Arizona, you're going to kiss Callie's neck." Two short sentences and Nick was gone again.

'What? It's really getting ridiculous. "Uhm..."

"Which side do you prefer? Left or right?"

'I'd prefer your lips' "I..."  
"As if we'd have a choice", Callie started to laugh again.

I did not understand how the whole thing was still so funny to her. Still, laughed with her. "Yeah, as if..."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Here's the thing girls: My arm is kinda...injured, you could say. So, I am writing it with my hand (because typing down hurts at the moment), hand it over to my beloved beta to type it down and beta read it for me...so, it'll take a little longer for a few days. Hope you don't mind.

AN2: I still own nothing

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**Callies POV**

"Mark! Come with me. Now!" I grabbed his upper arm and dragged him along into my changing room. I knew Christina was shooting right now and I really needed an advice. A really good advice from my best friend.

"What? I wanted to eat something! I am starving", he said waving a sandwich straight under my nose.

"Fine. Go. Leave me alone. I'll sit here until I die."

"Torres, what is wrong with you?"

"Mark, I…" I didn't even know how to tell him. My body was on fire but at the same time I was so confused.

"Do you want sex?"

"Mark!"

"What! If you're not telling me, I have to guess."

"And the first question popping up in your mind is sex?"

"It's always the first thing I come up with."

"Ass…" I turned away from him and back towards him again a moment later. "I'm serious, Mark. I…" And again I stopped myself. How the hell should I tell him?

"Is this about Blondie?"

I felt my eyes grow wider and wider and my blood rush to my cheeks. "I-I- have no idea who – what you are talking about." 'Of course he'll believe you if you're stammering like that.'

"Are you trying to convince yourself? Let me guess, it's not working."

"Mark…"

"Okay, okay. Sit down and then start telling me what's wrong."  
I sat down in the armchair. "Yesterday, after work, Arizona came around. We…"  
"Yes…?"  
I could see all the kinds of dirty thoughts he had. "Not what you think, perv. We had dinner and then I sang."  
"Oh, I really hope it was a hot duet à la 'me against the music'."

"You're impossible! I said, I sang! For her. Or, maybe not for her. Actually it was more like…oh…my…oh no…oh God!"

"What?'

"Haven't met you yet…"

"You're saying…what?"

"That's what I sang last night… and then…then I almost kissed her."

"Torres! Now we're getting to the good stuff. I knew it!"

"Mark, I said almost. She was so close. You have no idea how good she smells. Being that close, she's even more beautiful. Her eyes, blue like the bluest ocean you'll ever see. And so deep."

"Torres, you got it bad, like, really bad", Mark laughed.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Maybe. But to be honest, I don't see the problem", he said in a calm voice. Now, that was the best friend I knew was behind the man whore.

"The problem is obvious. It's the heart…or…"

"Between your legs", Mark stated.

Pooof, gone as my best friend. Yippy. "Thanks for reminding me."

"Callie", Mark started. Wow he called me by my real name, not my surname. That was….rare. "When that thing with Hahn started, you were scared and fought your feelings right from the start."

"Yeah, should have fought it till the very end. We all know how well that went."

"But it went that way, because she had to leave the show. None of us can say if you would not have been **the** couple nowadays."

"But I can say that she left without saying goodbye and that..."

"Still hurts. I know. But Arizona is not Hahn. She's sweet and hot. Why don't you just go with the flow?"

"Like you said, Mark. The problem's between my legs. I'm no man. And… she left so fast last night when I tried to kiss her."

"You think that Blondie's into men because of that?"

"You don't?"

"I don't. Should I tell you why?"

"Mhmm." I looked at him quizzically. But I wasn't sure if I really wanted to hear that answer.

"No sane woman can resist Mark Sloan, except she's a lady lover."

* * *

**Arizonas POV**

"Teddy, you have to come over. Right now. I need your help."

I stood in front of my dresser. Almost every article of clothing was scattered on the floor or my bed. And when I looked into the mirror, I saw myself still clad in only panties and bra. A hot match, but also a hot mess. I should have been ready for good five minutes now.

"Arizona, I can't I'm in a cab, on my way to my parents. You know Daddy's birthday dinner."

"Shoot. Right. Sorry, I forgot."

"Take a breath, Arizona. Where's the fire anyway?"

"In my dresser."

"What?"

"I have nothing to wear! I have to leave in ten minutes and the only thing looking like I was going to leave any time soon is my hair and make-up."

"Make-up? Are you going on a date without telling me? Who's the lucky one?"

"Oh, uhm…Calliope. But it's not a date. She's got the songs from Shonda and we are going to rehearse." I ran my fingers through my blonde tresses. They had become so long.

"Oooh, Calliope. You are so beautiful, Calliope", Teddy teased and cleared her throat afterwards. "You want to seduce her? Get in her pants?"

"What? No! Teddy that is…"

"It's okay, Arizona. Even if that was your plan, I'd say go for it. You're on your own far too long now. And since you're not even doing one-night stands, honestly, your sex life is lacking."

"I didn't call you to discuss my none existing sex life with you. And even if I had, anything even close to sex, Calliope and me, is as far away as the Earth is from Saturn."

"And that 'almost kiss' from last night?"

"Out of the situation, or something. I don't know. You know she's jumping Sloan's bones."

"Was jumping and that was before Erica."

"What?"

"Erica."

"Who's Erica?"

"Arizona, I think you're living on Saturn yourself. Your oh so beautiful Calliope had a short but hot affair with Erica Hahn."

"How do you know that?"

"Sloan."

"He's a terrible gossip", I blurted.

"No, he's an excellent gossip", Teddy laughed. Now back to your dresser. How much time have we got left?"

"Five minutes?"

"That's enough."

* * *

"Hi", I smiled as Callie opened the door for me. I was only five minutes late, thanks to my life saving best friend. But, wow. What I saw in front of me was breathtaking. She wore dark blue jeans and a lose fitting top.

"Come in", she said.

I didn't move. My body was still present, but my mind was somewhere else. She turned to the side and I was sure, she was trying to kill me, by showing me her bare back. Bare!

"Arizona?"

"What?"

"Do you want to stay outside?" She laughed out loud. "If you want, can I at least have the pizza? I'm hungry."

"Sorry, I just zoned out, a little."

"No problem. You know the way to the kitchen."

**Callie's POV**

She looked so good. The colour of her earrings matching her eyes, it was simply impossible not to notice that. And when she walked past me, I could smell the incredible good scent of her perfume. Was that what heaven was like? "Do you want something to drink?"

"Uhm, water would be nice", she answered without looking at me. Since this little incident this afternoon, she made sure not to look me straight in the eyes.

"Everything okay?"

"Sure!" Her voice pitched unnaturally high.

"Arizona?"

"Yeah?"

"Your acting weird."

"I don't. I'm just nervous… because of this singing thing, you know!"

Maybe she is right. Maybe I was over analysing things. But her answer came a little bit too fast. "Don't worry. I'm sure you sound amazing." When she still refused to look at me, I took a few blonde locks that were falling in her face and tucked them behind her ear. "But maybe we should eat the pizza first."

"Yeah…"

**Arizonas POV**

'You're making a fool of yourself. Keep yourself together. Now.' I looked down at my fingers and away a second later. They were shaking and that made me even more nervous.

"Tell me something about you", she asked.

"About me?"

"Yeah. I mean, we're working together for more than two years now. We're going to get married. And I know close to nothing about you."

"Married?" I chocked on my water so hard, I had to cough.

"Yeah. Sara and Jessica will marry each other this season."

"Oh, that. Yeah", I answered.

"What did you think?"

"Nothing", I answered and turned my head to the side. 'Don't blush. Think of something…uhm… Beth Ditto, yes!'

She laughed hearty. "You can tell your boyfriend there's nothing to worry about."

"My what?"

"Your boyfriend", she said. "Because of the marriage, I mean. Everything for the show, right?"

"I don't… I don't have a boyfriend."

"Husband?"

I just lifted my hand to show her that there was no wedding band or whatsoever.

"Great!", she squealed.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, just that you don't have to explain anything. Not the long working hours, not the kissing a woman stuff."

'Did she just blush?' Lost in my thoughts I reached out for the last slice of pizza. Our hands touched for a second. Shocks rushed through my body like a lightening, a short jolt of electricity. Insecure I searched for Callie's eyes. Yes, I searched for them. Our eyes connected and I knew she felt it too.

"Wanna start practising?"

'Or maybe not…damn.'

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AN3: Hope you guys enjoyed this one. Up next: practising and a pool...


	4. Chapter 4

AN: You know it, I own nothing.

AN2: Thanks to my beta for he**l**ping me typing it down at the moment :D I only have a few problems with the format now...I hope you don't mind

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**Callie's POV**

"Will you tell me what you sang this morning", Arizona asked out of the blue. She stood in a safe distance to me in the door frame while I sorted out the music sheets.

"What do you mean?", I asked back and hoped my voice wouldn't give me away.

"I..I didn't want to eavesdrop", she answered . "I was on my way down the hall… and heard you sing." She tucked her blonde curls behind her ear and smiled at me, her dimples on full force.

I tried to smile back, but I just couldn't. I didn't know someone listened to me this morning. I had actually thought that everyone except me was shooting that huge ER-scene. "It was just..."

"It was beautiful. Which...is not a surprise. You have a beautiful voice." Her blue eyes stared at me like sapphires. "I'm just curious. I don't know that song", she added.

When I still didn't do anything but stare at her, her facial expression changed. She seemed thoughtful. Or, maybe angry?

Suddenly her voice rang into my ear and ripped me out of my thoughts. "You broke my heart, it won't be the last time. But I'll get over them too." She didn't sing it, spoke those few lines. Still, every well bottled up feeling came to surface.

"Not me, not I", I whispered. Oh God, what was I doing? I tried to calm my breathing and to get my heartbeat back to normal. I wasn't even sad. I was hurt. "I can't talk about it. Not now."

"Oh..."

I really hoped, she'd leave it at that. I looked up and saw her fumbling around with the hem of her top. But when she smiled at me, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding back. "Okay, got it", I said when I finally had he music sheets in the right order. Now we could start. And it didn't matter to me if she was good or bad. Because, everything was better than thinking about the message I received this morning. A message from Erica, who was telling me again, that she misses me and that she'd turn back time to not leave me. It still hurt so much. It hurt more than my divorce from George, even though I thought I loved him more than Erica. George, my husband, ex-husband, who cheated on me with his best friend. He took away my faith in love but Erica...Erica treated me like I didn't deserve an explanation. And that was worse. Okay, maybe not. Maybe I just hadn't healed from it. Whatever. It hurt.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?", Arizona asked.

When, when did she step next to me? She was so close. "Yeah", I gasped.

"Can I have a look at these?"

"Of course."

"Oh, wow! Universe and U...", she said. "The story?!" She looked at me with wide eyes. "You're going to sing 'the story'?"

"Uhm…yes. That's..we're not here to talk about my songs", I said quickly so she wouldn't even think of asking me to sing for her now.

So, you're saying that you don't need any practice?", she teased.

"Huh? That was so not what I meant."  
"I know, Calliope", she said, smiling at me. And there they were again. Those dimples. Seriously, how was I supposed to resist that in the long run? Her smile made me forget about everything – even about Erica. It was like roller coaster. One moment I had the feeling something invisible cut off all the veins to my heart and I could hardly breathe. And the next moment her smile made everything better without her even trying.

"So, where do we begin?"  
"Universe and U?", I suggested.

"Okay...so...how exactly?"  
"I told her it would be the easiest way for her, if we'd listen to this song a couple of times. It would make her get an idea of the feeling. Playing the piano to accompany her would do us no good, though, because this piece of work was originally written for guitar grips and not for piano keys.

"So, without the piano?", she asked and I just nodded my answer.

**Arizonas POV**

"It's not going to work this way. You're not feeling it", Callie said for the fourth time.  
"It's hard!", I complained. "I don't know what to feel!" Shonda didn't give us any instructions or even a context to work with. "How am I supposed to know, what to feel, when nobody tells me?"  
"You should feel it right here", she said in a sweet voice, placing her hand on my chest. My heart instantly pounding against her hand. "See, it beats."  
"Of course it does", I said and chuckled. "If it wasn't, you would have killed me."  
Even if I was close to feel a heart attack coming up, simply because of her touch, I just tried to overplay it.  
"Arizona…"  
"What? I really don't know. It's so neutral in a way. So..."  
"Neutral?", she asked with a raised eyebrow.  
"The Story would have been easier...", I sulked.  
"Easier?", she asked smiling at me. Her perfect lips only lost very little of abundance fullness, when she smiled. 'God I just want kiss you. But I can't. And now I am having an inner monologue with myself. Great.' "Because it tells a lot more", I finally answered.  
"So Universe and U doesn't mean anything to you?'  
I shook my head no. "That's not it. It does mean something. But nothing is explicit."  
"And what does it mean to you?"  
I couldn't even put it in words. "I have….no clue?" It should have sounded like a statement, it resembled a question more. "Why can't it be a stupid love song? I mean, there are plenty!"  
"Because it's 'Heartbeat'. And there's nothing stupid about a heartbeat."  
"Can we have a break? I'm exhausted."  
"Of course. Do you want a glass of wine?"  
"Love to." Callie left me for a short while and I walked around the piano to the wall-high window and stared into the darkness. I got lost in my thoughts. I tried to figure out, how Shonda wanted to put the songs in an episode. It didn't make sense. If Sara and Jessica were about to get married, why The Story? Why Chasing Cars? How to save a life made the most sense to me. We were doctors.  
"There you go", Callie said. I hadn't even noticed that she came back.  
"You've got a pool?", I noticed dry/austere.  
"Do you want to swim?"  
"Are you serious? It's dark as hell out there and probably way too cold."  
"The pool is heated and", she controlled a little switch on the wall, "illuminated."  
Below the water surface warm lights were recognizable.  
I hesitated, whereas Callie opened the glass door and stepped into the mild evening air.  
A slight gust of wind tugged through the opening and made the scores on the piano flutter gently.  
I took a generous gulp and then put my wine glass on the papers so they couldn't fly away.  
"Well?", Callie called from outside. On the way to the pool she had dropped her top carelessly on the grass and now she freed herself from her jeans.  
"What are you doing there?"  
"What does it look like?"  
"Uhm..."  
"Do you think I swim in my jeans?"  
"I shook my head, until I saw that she elegantly dove into the water, completely naked.  
Swallowing hard, I felt like it had suddenly gotten really hot in here. I stepped outside. The air was good for me, made my body temperature turn to a normal level again.  
Callie's head appeared on the surface, her eyes looking for me.  
'What the heck'. I took off my shoes and my jeans and jumped right in. The water was really enjoyable warm. I resurfaced a couple of inches in front of her.  
"Did you in all seriousness jump into my pool in your T-shirt and underwear?"  
I nodded and hoped she wouldn't see my red cheeks.  
"Arizona", she came closer and whispered in my ear, "I've already seen you almost naked today."  
I swallowed again, stronger than the first time. "I…know."  
"You're beautiful", she said into the darkness. I first hadn't noticed, that her face was just a few millimetres from mine. She stroke my wet hair out of my face and cupped my cheeks with her hands.  
"Calliope…"  
"Shh…" Her thumb struck my lower lip. My heartbeat could wake up a whole town, I thought. In fact I was the only one, who could hear my heartbeat so loud and clear, because I could feel it. It beat fiercely against my rips. I closed my eyes. Whatever would happen next, I tried to prepared myself. At first I felt her nose, then her lips. Could it be? Was she kissing me? Was this heaven? Did I drown without noticing? I tried to remember, that I had to move my legs in the water if I really didn't want to perish.  
I ran on autopilot, not the most sensible. I should react on the kiss, or not?  
"Arizona", Callie breathed, when she drew her lips from mine and in the next moment our mouths met again. And now I was back in reality. Our mouths crashed against each other. Our tongues played with each other and it felt as if I had waited for this kiss my whole life.

**Callie's POV**

I didn't know what was happening. When Arizona didn't back away, I gained more confidence. I kissed her with more fierce and tried to understand why I was feeling so much at the same time. This kiss was nothing I ever experienced before in my life. I couldn't even figure out if it was because of what I felt or if that blonde angel in front of me was just an amazing kisser. I only knew that this kiss literally took my breath away and I had to stop to get some much needed oxygen.  
For just a moment, everything around us was completely silent, even the surface of the water didn't seem to move. I tried to read the woman in front of me. Tried to see what was going on in her mind.  
"Wow", she said, after a while.  
"Yeah", I answered in a low voice. I guess, I wasn't the only one feeling the connection between us.  
"I uhm...I should go."  
Okay, so not the answer I'd hoped for.  
"Did I do something wrong?"  
"What?" Her blue eyes were locked onto mine. "Calliope, God, no. Don't even think that this is your fault, okay?" Her index finger grazed my lips.  
"But...why do you want to leave?"  
"I don't want to, believe me. But I should, before-"  
I cut her words off with a kiss. I was done watching her running away or being reasonable. To hell with the good sense. I tugged at the wet fabric that was clutched tight to her abdomen and pushed it up her very wet body.  
"Calliope, what are you doing?"  
"Getting you undressed. Staying or not, you can't go home with your clothes dripping", I said grinning and kissed her before she got the chance of vetoing. I let go of her lips only to have her top removed from her torso. My hands glided over her back and unclasped her bra.  
"Calliope", she moaned quietly. I took it as an affirmation and pressed my body into hers. With her skin on my skin, though slippery and wet, I felt at home for the first time after in a few years.

* * *

AN3: So, we got the first kiss...happy about it?


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I own nothing

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

"Where are you?" Just a few seconds ago she'd pushed me with all her strength against the tiles of the pool and now, all of a sudden, she was gone. How could she even have that much power over me that I felt kinda empty already? That was not good. It was fatal. I tried to get my eyes to adjust to the light. I had no idea how much time had passed by. "Calliope? I asked out into the darkness. I couldn't see anything outside of the pool.

"Calliope, this is so not funny! It's not nice to leave a woman out here and alone like that after stealing all of her senses. Well, not all of my senses, because Callie's hands ignited a fire in my body and it was really hard for me to concentrate on anything other than that. "Calliope!", I called out for her again and welcomed my doubts at the same time. Did I do something wrong? Was the kiss that bad? Normally, I was one of those confident people. All of my exes told me that I was a good kisser...and a few other things I was good at, too.

"You should come out of the water", I suddenly heard her voice.

"Where have you been?"

"I got us some towels", she answered shrugging.

"And you didn't think about telling me first? Very nice, Calliope", I pouted.

"Uhm, I told you", she answered with a smile on her lips.

"Uh uh, I would have heard that. I would remember that."  
"So, you would remember that? You nodded when I told you that I would make a short trip inside. But...I admit, you were busy getting your hand between my legs, maybe that's why you can't remember", she said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"I did no such thing!" Or, did I?"

For a short moment there was utterly silence. None of us said a word and I was still very much lost in my mind. Had I really been that crude and that eager to get some satisfaction? Really mature, Arizona. That was actually not who I really was. I shook my head to get rid of my thoughts and swam towards the ladder. "Can you help me?"  
"Uhm, sure", she answered and reached her hand or out for me

**Callie's POV**

Oh...oh no. That malicious grin on her face could mean nothing but trouble. Or...did she finally remember?"

She grabbed my hand. "I even got you a bathroooooooooooooo-" and before I could react, she dragged me into the pool with her. Two can play that game. I didn't even start to resurface, instead I tucked at her leg, so she went down into the depth of the pool with me. Blonde hair hovered around her beautiful face as it adapted to the moves of the water. Our lips found each other again. Even now, surrounded by liters of water, her lips were so soft and smooth. I pushed off from the ground only as the need for air was too much to take and my lungs longed for it. The water surface broken through, we both took some deep breaths.

"Calliope", was all she said.

"Arizona", I reciprocated in a low voice and stared at her. Her face had lost everything what one would call sweet. It may be because of hair her. Her normally blonde angelic curls were now dark and straightened out by the water. Maybe it was the look in her eyes. Without thinking I bit my lower lip.

* * *

Good morning, Calliope."  
I flinched and looked up from my script.

"Why so jumpy?"  
"I wanted to answer, but somehow the words got stuck in my throat.

"Have you lost your voice over night? That would not be good. We'd have to cancel the whole musical episode, well, half of it. And we couldn't practice anymore. And I just found out what it means to feel ... "

I tried to breathe and swallow and the same time. Lethal combination.

"Calliope, be careful", she said and rubbed my back. "I wanted to ask if it was okay, if I'd come around again tonight to continue where we left of last night?"

And just like that, she left. As if she didn't just make that remark about last night.

"Calliope...", I heard a manly voice.

"Mark."  
"But Calliope, where are you manners?"  
"Gone down the toilet", I grumbled. "And if you don't wish for your car keys to go the same way, you better not call me that ever again. Are we clear?"

"May I then assume that Blondie has no car keys anymore?"

"When she says it, it sounds...", like music, I thought, but I didn't finish that sentence out loud

"Torres, if I wouldn't know better, I'd say you got the hots for her. Oh, wait a second", he said, rubbing his fresh shaved chin, "I do know better and you not only have the hots for her, but you're having a serious crush on her.

"You have a crush when you're at school, Mark. Do I look like a schoolgirl? Do I write notes with "do you want to be my girlfriend, please answer" and under that a yes, a no and a maybe?"

"You're way too hot for a schoolgirl, Torres. But, I am very sure Blondie would say yes", he answered and got himself a hard kick against his shin from me. "Oow, Torres, that hurt. Damn!"  
I just shrugged my shoulders and tried to focus on the script again. But I read one sentence for about twenty times and every time I couldn't remember that I read it before. I loved Mark. He wasn't my best friend for nothing, but sometimes he just failed.

**Arizona's POV**

"You're whistling?"  
"Huh?"  
"Come here, Arizona." Teddy patted the place next to her on the couch.

A gentle sigh escaped my lips. I knew, to fool my best friend was nearly impossible.

"Look at me", she demanded.

"Teddy, you're not my mom who caught me smoking a cigarette."  
"No", Teddy answered with a big smutty smile on her lips. "I am you best friend that found out your little secret. You so had sex with Callie Torres! Don't even try to deny it. I can see it in your eyes."  
"We didn't", I began loud, but then I lowered my voice, "have sex."  
"Oh come on. Please don't tell me you made love to each other the first night. Arizona, that is so...wimpy."

"We didn't made love to each other, Teds", I answered truthfully.

"Will you tell me what happened on you own or do I have to ask for every little detail?"

I sighed again but then I started to tell her. "And then she lend me one of her sweaters and I drove home", I ended my story. Now that she knew everything, she was happy. But, if she'd know how super-hot the kisses that Callie and I shared last night had been, she'd fall off the couch in an instant.

"Arizona Robbins, I honestly don't want to rip you out of your dreams, really, but you should have stayed.

"No."  
"No? Of course you should have. If she's offering it. If she's offering herself!"

"Theodora Altman", I gave her a death glare, "one more word and I will tell everybody around that you spent your second night in Seattle with none other than Mark Sloan." I saw Teddy's mouth open and close a few times. "And now you seriously look like a fish", I laughed.

"If you were a fish, you didn't have to come out of the pool", she teased back.

"And if you'd have had just a tiny little bit of my self-control, you'd have not been in bed with the man whore."  
"You and self-control? Arizona. You and me both know, that you are only able to control yourself, when you're..." And right that second I saw it in her face. It dawned on her. "Oh. My. God!", she blurted. "Oh my God, Arizona." There was silence for a minute. "Oh my God!"

"Teddy, that's enough. Fine, you got me. Totally. I'm an open book for you." I got up from the couch and went back and forth within the four walls of our changing room.

"I mean, I knew you were attracted to her. And that you think she's nice. And...hot."  
"But it's so much more than that, Teddy", I confessed.

"Since when?"  
"Since...ever? Teddy, just look at her. Those curves. Those legs. Those eyes. That killer smile. A symphony couldn't sound any better if it tried, than her laugh. And she's different than the others. She's smart, has her own opinion. Yes, she's stubborn like hell and pigheaded. But she only stands up for what she believes. And that is..."  
"...exactly everything what every Dawn and Julie over the last years didn't do", Teddy ended my thoughts for me. "You should tell her."  
"No. Never."  
"What could possibly happen? You said, she kissed you first. Maybe she's feeling the same?"  
"Maybe I am just an experiment..." I let out some air I didn't know I was holding back.

"You should not see a second Joanne in every woman that didn't know she was gay since the moment she was born, Arizona."  
"I know. But you have to admit, that it is very uneven. George – a husband, Mark and Karev", I was shaking without knowing. "And on the other side, there's just this Erica."  
"And you. That's pretty close to a tie."  
"Yeah. But those are only the men we know of...because, the cast is worse than any coffee with my mum and her friends."  
Teddy laughed. "I like your mum. If it was not for her, I would not have you in my life."  
I smiled.

* * *

AN2: Up next just a tiny little drama...just a little though.

AN3: Hope you guys still like it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Callie's POV**

Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! Why did I even say yes to that? I tiptoed around in my house and tried to put on my shoes. Mind you, the fourth pair of shoes. I had no idea what Arizona was up to. The only thing I knew, was that she changed her mind and instead of practicing she wanted to take me out on a date. Oh no. Even the memory of her whispering in my ear, asking me out, still sent shocks through my veins. And here I stood, indecisive of what to wear.

In the end I decided to go with a plain black top that left little space for imagination of my cleavage. A pair of dark blue jeans that seemed to be made for my curvaceous body. And eventually, shoes. Heels of flats? I just could not make a decision.

"Calliope Torres", I said to my reflection. 'Whoa, since when did I call myself Calliope?' "Take a breath. It's just Arizona." 'Just Arizona...who was I kidding?' "Okay, enough. You're a Torres, keep yourself together!"

I heard the doorbell rang, closed my eyes and gave myself a last mental pep talk. Straightening out my clothes, I went to the door. "Wow..."  
"Calliope", Arizona whispered.

In front of me was an angel, sent straight to me from heaven. Blonde tresses were smooth falling over her shoulders. Her eyes, blue like the sky with some light make-up. 'Okay Callie, concentration. Just don't try to think about the dress that fits her perfectly and matched her eyes AND ended short above her knees. But...concentrate on...on what?' "You, uhm..."

Her eyes wandered down. Lips. Further down. Chin. Further down the road. "Are you ready?", she finally asked.

I nodded with a big grin on my face. Mission accomplished.

**General POV**

"So, I had a really great time tonight", Arizona said and smiled as Callie held the door of her car open for her.

"Me too. It was really nice not to practice...for a change."

"Because I don't get it right?"  
The brunette shook her head and bit her bottom lip. Little did she know what that did to Arizona. But the blonde felt the butterflies – giant butterflies to be exact – flutter through her tummy.

"No. Because I, there was enough work done today", Callie answered.

Arizona smirked slightly. Inside of her, it was like a battlefield. To kiss the Latina or not to kiss her. "So, I'll see you in the morning." She turned to go.

"Arizona..."

It came barely loud enough, that the blonde was not even sure if she'd heard right. Only when she felt a hand on her wrist, she turned back towards her. "Calliope, what-"

Suddenly, her words were cut off and her body began to tingle as she felt soft full lips on her own. She smiled into the kiss and pressed the body of the slightly taller woman against her car. God, that body. Those hips of a goddess. She loved every bit of the Latina.

Eventually, she let go of the brunette and made just a tiny step backwards. Could this woman get even more beautiful? Arizona thought, that with every second she got to spend with Callie, she'd discover something knew that made her even more infatuated with the beauty in front of her. Her lips were now a little swollen from the kiss and a light red was visible.

Callie took a deep breath. Dark brown eyes met azure orbs that she could just get lost in any second now.

"Arizona", she breathed again. Why was it so hard for her to transform her thoughts into actual words?

"I better go now, really."  
"No. You're always leaving. What is this? Is this some kinda game to you?"

"Calliope", Arizona tried to interrupt carefully.

"I don't want to play any game. I..."  
"Calliope!", Arizona blurted.

Surprised by the harsh tone of the blonde, Callie's eyes focused on Arizona's.

"Thank you", were her first words. "This is no game for me either. Quite the opposite. I heard so many things and I don't know how to handle them. And if I'd come inside with you now, I would not be able to stop myself from taking this any further. What happened last night, those kinds of kisses...well, let's just say, I'm not purely made of reason. I am only human. And if you'd have kissed me like that one more time, I'd have forgotten all of my manners and had my way with you. But all of that is still so new for you. Erica-" Oh no. I didn't want to mention that name.

"You know nothing about Erica!"

"I know, I am sorry. It's just...people talk so much where we work. Everything is just out in some open book for everyone to read. Even if you don't put your nose in all that gossip, at the end of the day, you know everything."

Callie tried to look past Arizona at her house. She knew, she and her love life had been one of the favorite topics to gossip about for a few weeks. But she'd hoped that Arizona would not give any credit to those words. Or at least, ask her herself. Because, if she was honest to herself, most of it was the truth, even though that hurt the most. But some things were definitely added.

"Calliope, I am sorry. Really. I just wanted to tell you, that you should take your time." Arizona didn't want to tell Callie, that she actually never went out with women who were not a 100% sure what they wanted. She'd made that mistake one time, and that was one time too many. She even swore that to herself. One Joanne was enough for her whole life. But...what if she'd just tell the gorgeous Latina that she'd broken that rule for her – twice?

"You know what, Arizona? Maybe it's better if you leave now." Callie was just hurt right now. And being hurt was not something she was good at coping with. George had hurt her. Erica did that to her, even more.

"We...see each other tomorrow?  
"At work."  
Arizona tried to see something in Callie's eyes. Anything was better than the emptiness she saw right there. "Okay. Well, good night, Calliope."  
"It's Callie."  
'Ow, that hurt.'

* * *

AN: Yep, I told you, a little drama on the way. But hey, no worries, right?

AN2: Still, I don't own anything (do I really have to keep saying that every chapter?)


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own anything...**

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

"Thanks for the ride."  
"No problem, Teds. It's the least I could do after keeping you up the better part of the ni-", I stopped mid-sentence, as I saw Callie coming out of Shonda's office.  
"Talk to her", Teddy suggested for the hundredth time.  
"No. I mean, yes, but not about that. I knew, putting Erica on the table was my fault, but she totally overreacted last night." I crossed my arms over my chest demonstratively. "If she can apologize for that, I will talk to her." Against my own will, I stared at Callie as if my eyes could look that direction only.  
"But you were not honest with her."  
"Of course I was." I look dumbfounded at Teddy.  
"Joanne?"  
"Wha-?" I couldn't believe my best friend just said that name.  
"Oh Arizona, get over it. This whole story, that you do not date any woman out there with at least as much experience as you have...it's getting old. And you already broke that rule for Callie." She looked at me insistently. "What I am trying to say is, that I think, that she'd understand and you wouldn't have bitched around yesterday."  
"We didn't bitch at each other."  
"Right. You two just had your first fight without even being in a relationship", Teddy teased. She turned away from me out of pure purpose. Teddy could be so unbelievable straight with her words. And the last I wanted to hear was the truth.  
"Good morning, Calliope", I said, as she passed us on her way down the hall.  
"It's still Callie for you", she hissed.  
"Robbins!", Shonda called out for me.  
"Did you do something?", Teddy asked.  
Shonda's voice didn't sound that happy.  
"If I did, I'm not aware of it..."  
"Make-up time for me. See you soon." And with that, she was gone.  
I inhaled deeply and then I made my way down the hall into the cave of the lion. If she'd eat me alive...well...one thing less I'd have to worry about. "Good morning, Shonda."  
"Arizona", she said and held the door to her office open for me.  
"Did something happen?"  
"Actually, that's my question for you."  
"I...I don't know what you're talking about."  
"Okay, let's start with another thing. How are rehearsals going?"  
"Good! Really good. Calliope..." I stopped myself, "Callie is a fantastic singer. She's the best to focus on that episode.  
"I'm glad to hear that. What about you? You like practicing with her?"  
"Oh, I do. She's so patient with me."  
"So, you two get along?"  
"Should we not? We're working together for two years now..." If I'd only knew what this was all about.  
"Great", she mumbled under her breath and then she gave me the answers to all of my unspoken questions as she turned her notebook so I could see the screen. The screen, that was showing a picture of Callie and I on our date last night. Of course it was the moment where I'd took her hand to tell her, that I'd pay for dinner because I asked her out. But, taken by a paparazzi it could really say anything, as the big letters already gave away. 'Heartbeat: Did Sara and Jessica become Callie and Arizona as well?'  
I gulped.  
"Do you have anything to say to this?"  
"Shonda...it was just dinner with a friend. We both had a really hard day and I thought we could skip practice once and just enjoy the evening. Aren't friends allowed to do that in public? Having dinner at a restaurant I mean?"  
Shonda didn't say anything.  
"That's completely out of context, Shonda. I wanted to pay the check, as a thank you for her help. Nothing more." I stopped myself again, but just to spare Shonda my rambling.  
"As friends? Nothing more?"  
"Nothing more", I answered and begged she wouldn't hear the sadness in my voice.  
"Okay. Don't get me wrong, Arizona", she began and seemed to search for the right words. "I know that you and Jessica have one big thing in common. That is great, really. I don't have any problems with that, otherwise you would probably not be an actress on 'Heartbeat'. But this is just my opinion. The bosses are...not that open for it. So, if there's something, anything going on between you and Callie or Teddy or Cristina-"  
I couldn't stop the "Eeew" coming from my lips and curled my nose.  
"What I am saying, I'd rather hear it from you than anybody else. I hold my hand protectively over all of you – without exception. But I can only do that, if I know what's going on. When Erica got fired, I had no say in it."  
"Shonda, there's no reason to-"  
This time, she interrupted me. "Arizona, I may not be around all the time, but I am not blind. You and Callie, you both reacted the same way when I showed you the picture." She smiled at me.  
"We're just friends", I told her again.  
"Yeah, I heard that a lot today."  
I sighed.  
"We're done here. You can go, it's make-up time for you soon."  
I thanked her, as if the headmaster saved me from three weeks of detention. But to be honest, it felt the same.

**Callie's POV**

"Can I talk to you for a second?"  
"Huh? Teddy? Sure, come in."  
"It's about Arizona..."  
"Why beat around the bush when you can just come out with the truth, right?" I felt anger rising up inside of me and I had to remind me, that it was Teddy in front of me, and not Arizona herself.  
"May I?", she asked and I nodded before she sat down on one of the chairs. "Callie, I want to be honest with you. Even if this would actually be in Arizona's hands to tell you. But you weren't really fair to her last night."  
"So she ran straight to you? Figured."  
"She didn't come running into my arms. I know Arizona for years now, sometimes I just feel when something's off with my best friend."  
I nodded.  
"Arizona is...different. She's not that type of girl going out, looking for hookups and flings. She's...look, everybody knows what happened with you and Erica. And everybody knows what happened _between_ you and Erica. Not the details though, but everybody saw how you were coping, when she left. And right in the line with Erica, all we see is Sloan, Karev and George."  
She looked at me as if I was supposed to understand what she was trying to tell me.  
"Okay...I'll try again." Teddy bit her bottom lip and looked nervously back and forth. "Arizona doesn't date women without experience."  
"I have experience", I cut her off and just got a telltale glare in return.  
"I think you know what I meant."  
I nodded.  
"Listen, it's something that Arizona should tell you herself. But, you have to be willing to listen, without judging her from the start." Teddy got up and walked towards the door.  
"What are you talking about?", I finally asked as my heart won the battle with my head.  
"Joanne", she said and left me alone.  
"Who the fuck is Joanne?", I mumbled.  
"Oh, did you hook up with someone last night?", Mark asked.  
When did he walk in? "What?"  
"Joanne? Who is she?"  
"I don't know."  
"Why were you saying her name if you don't know her?"  
"Arizona."  
"Oh, there lies the rub, all right. Torres-"  
"No!", I cut him off.  
"What?"  
"Just don't, okay? Not today, Mark."  
"Okay."  
"That easy?"  
"You're my best friend, Torres."  
"That doesn't stop you any other day..."  
He wanted to say something, but knew better and put his arms around me instead. If he just...he shouldn't have done that. The wall was crumbling and everything I had bottled up broke out of me within seconds. George. Erica. Arizona ... Arizona.

**Arizona's POV**

"You wanted to talk to me?"  
"Yes", she said with those beautiful full lips.  
Focus, Arizona. "What's up?"  
She looked at her feet. Calliope Torres was the last person on earth I'd associate with the word shy. April, sometimes maybe even Teddy, but Callie? Never.  
"Shonda...I think she showed you the picture?"  
"She did."  
"I...uhm...what did you tell her?"  
"That we were out to have dinner as friends."  
"Okay, that's..."  
"...what you told her, I know."  
"Arizona?"  
"Callie."  
She just shrugged and then waited a few seconds before whispering something that sounded like 'Calliope', but I was not sure about that.  
She hadn't even looked me in the eyes once today. There had been no shoot to be done together and that made it very easy for her. "Is there something else?"  
She shook her head but made no attempt to move as well.  
"I can't read your mind, you know?", I said softly. I didn't want to be mad anymore.  
"Who is Joanne?", she finally asked.  
"What?" Teddy, I knew it.  
"Is she...your...uhm...your girlfriend? Is that why you always wanted to leave?"  
"Joanne? My girlfriend? Callie..."  
"Calliope", she demanded loud and clear.  
"Calliope", I smiled.  
"It's just that...Teddy told me and now she's going to kill me for telling you she told me, but she also told me to talk to you. No, to listen to you. And here I am. Ready to listen."  
"Wow. Can you speak a little faster, please, I think I didn't get all of it", I teased and smiled at her. It was...cute in a way. Another word that just didn't match her right away.  
"I'm sorry."  
"No need to be. So, you want to listen?"  
She nodded.  
"Okay, let's go somewhere else for a coffee or something.

"Okay", I started. Callie sat across me, turning her cup of coffee nervously between her hands, not saying anything. "Joanne is my ex." At first she let out some air. But then she finally relaxed. "We were a couple for almost three years. I was her first..."  
I felt Callie's eyes on me, but didn't look back at her. I preferred to watch the people outside the window walking past the little coffee shop. They could not hear my words. "We had a cute apartment, nothing big, but it was enough for us. We even had a little dog. It was...it seemed so perfect." I chanced one look in her direction and found warm brown eyes studying me with some pity. "One evening, when I came home a little earlier – I just started as an actress, had a small part on a TV-show and the shooting got canceled because of the weather." We both laughed. "At home, I caught Joanne bumping uglies with one of our neighbors. One thing I never wanted to see before and never want to see again." At the thought of it, everything inside of me went stiff. Nothing had ever been so humiliating. And I knew that Callie understood. I knew the stories about George, Callie and Izzie. "We broke up and she told me that I never gave her enough, that I was just a woman after all. And believe me, that's the last you want to hear from the person you love." I took a breath. "I swore to myself that day, that I will never ever date a woman that does not know what she wants."  
I looked away.  
She got up after I didn't say anything further for a couple of minutes, and broke the silence between us. "Well, I am sorry for wasting your time then."  
I grabbed her arm as she tried to walk past me to get to the door. Slowly, my hand drifted down her arm and my hand slipped in hers. "I broke my rules for you, Calliope." I felt her hand squeezing mine. "I knew some things about you, before you kissed me and even before I asked you to go on a date with me." I didn't dare to look at her.

**Callie's POV**  
I felt her fingers in my palm. Those petite fingers, manicured. Our skin colors harmonizing like shadow and light.  
"Would you please say something?"  
"You think you know things about me?"  
She flinched.  
"I'm going to tell you _some things_ about be." I sat back down in the comfortable armchair. When I let go of her hand, I felt somehow empty. Strange. "My parents are Catholics. Through and through. I was raised catholic. When my father caught me kissing my first boyfriend, he sent me away to go to boarding school for girls. He said, it was a boarding school for talented girls, but I knew the real reason and hated him for ripping me away from home and leaving me alone at the age of 15." I searched for her blue eyes. "I fell in love for the first time, when I was somewhat around 17." Arizona's eyes went wide. "Right, I was still at that boarding school at that time. Her name was Sadie...or still is, I guess. I don't know. It was nothing too serious and I thought, it happens to everyone. Beside of that, my father would never tolerate another woman at my side. Not back then, and today..." I couldn't go on. "When school was over I got a full scholarship from Juilliard. It would not have been necessary, though. My dad made always sure for us to attend the best schools. A little money here or a threat there. He's a maker, he does things, he doesn't wait for them to happen." I saw her taking the last sip of her coffee, still listening to my every word. "At Juilliard I wanted to start over new. Nobody there knew I was drawn towards women. After Sadie hat to leave boarding school – she came back drunk more than once – well, let's say, it is not that easy if everybody thinks you just want to get in their pants." I paused for a minute. 'Whoa, Torres, smooth.' "Everything was good. I flirted with the boys, like any other girl. It just...it wasn't the same for me. After graduation from Juilliard and a few years being an actress in theaters, I came here. I came to Seattle and started at 'Heartbeat'. I met George. George, sweet, kind George, the only man I ever had feelings for. There's no need to tell you what happened. I guess, that's all pretty much open in that book called gossip", I said and gave her a forced smile. She nodded and I went on. "Karev was...well...a mistake. A stupid and drunken mistake that I don't even remember. Was not really good, I guess. Sloan...Mark, well, he's just Mark. He's my best friend. And with him, it was different than with Alex or George. But it's still nothing compared to women. To you. That kiss, our kiss, that was fire and electricity. That were 1000 volt shooting through my body." Did she recognize, that I left out Erica? According to her expression, she did. "Erica was...my first after all those years, but she was definitely not my first. And just because I fell in love with a man one time, doesn't mean I'm picking the best of both worlds. I fall in love with the person, not with their gender. Now, I just wanted to you to know that."

* * *

AN: Happy? I kinda am :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Arizona's POV**

I didn't know what to say to that. Did I even want to say anything? Breathe, Arizona, breathe. Blue eyes met brown. I could see so much honesty in those eyes, and that made it easier to stand her look. But it didn't lift of the weight of her words. "Calliope", I finally found my voice. "That...that was definitely not in the book", I joked.

"Figured. Nobody knows about that. And...I'd be happy if it would stay that way."

"Of course", I said and smiled. Inside of me, everything me screamed no. Because, that meant that was it, right? I decided to change the topic. "But...we'll still work together, right?" 'Arizona, you're stupid. Couldn't you think of something more intelligent?' Callie looked at me without saying a word. There could have been question marks in her eyes as well. "I mean, because of the picture of us? And you said that you don't want everybody to find out and Shonda said, it would be possible to get a new vocal coach for me and-"  
"Arizona!", I got cut off.

"Huh?"  
"Ugh, where do I begin..." She furrowed her brows as if she was thinking very hard. "When I said, that I don't want anybody to find out...I meant my past. This includes Sadie. My father's money", she looked me dead in the eyes. "And the scholarship from Juilliard."  
"But that is nothing you should keep a secret!", I said and beamed at her. "Do you know how unbelievably good you have to be to get a scholarship from Juilliard?"

"Are you being serious?", she laughed.

"Of course not. But for Christ's sake, millions of people would kill for that. Not that I would know a million people, but that's the Juilliard! THE Juilliard! And you...you even got a full scholarship and don't want anybody to know?"  
"It's easier to make new friends if nobody knows things like that."

"What are we? Fifth grade?" I gave her a smile that would definitely show my dimples. "We're past the age of being jealous of each other's toys or talents. Now, we're jealous because of other girls or boys. But most definitely not because of scholarships...or money."  
"I still would appreciate it."  
"Okay, Calliope. But, I do have one condition."  
She sighed. "And that would be?"  
"How talented are you?"  
"Huh?"  
"The scholarship", I whispered.

"Oh...uhm...talented, I guess."

"How?"

"Well, talented means talented, right?"

"Calliope", I warned her.

"Pretty talented", she said in a very low voice. "See? That sounded so bigheaded", she added and hit her forehead with her palm.

I just shook my head, saw my curls bouncing around my face. "What is 'pretty talented' to you?"

"Arizona..."

"Calliope..." I could play that game too to just say her name every time she didn't want to answer as well. That's where I was _pretty talented. _"Let me help you? I know you're an amazing singer. You do play the piano without giving the scores the time of day."  
"How do you know...?"  
"I watched you the other night, Calliope. You're a damn good kisser, but I don't think that's a reason the Juilliard School wanted you", I said laughing.

She blushed immediately.

"So, what else?"

"Oh...uhm...violin."

"For real?"  
"Is there any other way?"

"You will never get an answer to that question, Calliope", I answered and grinned at her. I could still remember my father's face as if it was yesterday, as my mum took away my children's violin after a little over a year. She even told me to never look at it again. I cried, I was barely eight years old. But now, every Christmas eve, when my father starts that old homemade video and my version of 'Silent night' blares through the speakers of the television, I understand my father. And I understand, why he always said that baby Jesus didn't get any sleep that night all because of me.

"What's so funny?"  
"Oh, nothing. So, singing, piano, violin...is there something else?"  
She didn't answer.

"There's something else, am I right?"

"Yes", she mumbled. "But I learned that at Juilliard, so that doesn't count. Interrogation's over now", she said and got up.

"Wait!"  
"Huh?"  
"When you were in Shonda's office this morning..."  
"That's never going to happen again."  
"Calliope, I thought...that with you and me...that we were okay? And..." I could not explain it exactly, but somehow I had been hoping that she'd really meant her past, when she said that no one should know about this. That was something I could accept. That was even something, I respected_._

"We are okay", she answered, giving one of her megawatt smiles.

I noticed my mouth opening and closing on its own accord

"Do you, maybe, wanna practice for a while?"  
"Sure!", I jumped out of my armchair.

"Let's go then." She took my hand and dragged me along with her out of the coffee shop.

**Callie's POV**

"Shonda, do you have a minute?" I knocked on her door.

"Come in", she said, looking up from her notebook. I assumed she was still writing the big seasons finale. "What's up?"  
"I...I like Arizona", I confessed.

"Callie, do you think I am blind?"  
I shook my head.

"Good. But thank you for trusting me."  
Another confession left my lips: "To be honest, I need an advise..."

"About what?"  
"This thing...I don't even know what it is, but it feels great. It's just...I need do know if I put our jobs at risk. And I need to know that before I can go any further."  
"Your jobs?"  
"You know that I love 'Heartbeat'. I love this little family we have here. I love your stories. And I think, the same goes for Arizona. So, can you promise me that our jobs here are safe, no matter how it turns out in the end?"

"Callie, as long as I know about it, I can protect you. You know that I'm not the only one that has a say in that, but I really don't see a reason, why in the world – and nowadays – a same sex relationship should be a reason to get fired." She looked me straight in the eyes. "Is there a relationship to talk about?"  
"Uhm..." Instantly, memories of last night shot through my head. We didn't even make it into my house before our lips were locked to each other. Too much pent-up energy. The feelings seemed to have left our bodies and laid heavy in the air around us. Lust. Want. Insecurity. And suddenly: uncertainty.

"Callie?"  
"Huh?"

"I asked you a question."  
"I don't have an answer to that, yet. Just...somehow, it is more than friendship, Shonda."  
She smiled at me. That was good, right? Or was it bad?

"Well then, go and find out what it is", she said softly.

"Thank you."  
"For nothing. I didn't do anything."  
"You have no idea", I reciprocated and mirrored her smile. "There's one more thing though", I started.

"And what would that be?"  
"Arizona doesn't need a new vocal couch", I said in a rush.

"I think that goes without saying."

* * *

"Will you come over tonight?" I had sneaked up on Arizona from behind and put my arms around her slim waist.

"Could I resist this fragrance?"  
"Possibly."  
"Never", she smiled. "Do you want to rehearse?"  
I shook my head.

"Dinner?"

Again, I shook my head and instead kissed the oh so soft flesh behind her ear.

"Calliope", she breathed.

My body reacted instantly, but I tried to ignore it. Images from last night crossed my mind again. Arizona. Heavy breathing, trapped between the wall and myself. One hand at the back of my neck. Tongues dancing with each other. Hands roaming bodies.

"Tonight, eight pm", I whispered.

"Okay", she whispered back.

I let go of her and left her changing room. Mission successfully initiated.

"Callie, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, uhm, hi Teddy." Fuck. I literally felt my cheeks turn red.

"Are you okay?"  
"Great. I'm great. You know what, I have to go. See you later, Teddy." 'See you later? Of course, we're at work.'

**Arizona's POV**

"Good morning", I said happy and threw my jacket on one of the chairs as I walked in the next day.

"Oh, wow. Someone's all sunshine and rainbow today", Teddy greeted me.

"It's a beautiful day. The sun's shining. It didn't rain for 24 hours straight plus my schedule is pretty light today. Do I need to say more?" I answered.

"And you had sex."  
Did I somehow get that stamped on my forehead? Yang gave me one of that looks telling me she knows everything, too.

"Out with it, Robbins!", Teddy demanded.

"If I'd only know what you are talking about", I teased.

"Arizona Robbins, spill it. I so know you got laid last night."  
"Teddy! I didn't get", I began and lowered my voice, "laid."

"Oh, so you nailed her?"  
"Theodora! You do know that I don't nail women."

"Arizona, how long do we know each other? Ten, fifteen years? I know your face. I could marry you, I know you that good. So, either YOU tell me what happened last night or I'm going to ask that hot Latina that's running around with that same expression on her face."  
"You saw her today?", I asked nervously.

"She kinda bumped into me. Well, almost. Apologized a couple of times and when I asked her if she knew where youwere, she just grinned."  
"Robbins, Altman, meeting in five!"

Before I got the chance to turn around, the door closed again. Sloan, who else?

"Fine. You will be spared, for now. But postponed is not abandoned, Arizona. You won't get away with that", she said as I looked out for my script.

"Yeah yeah, whatever, Teds. Ready?"

Teddy dragged me back into our changing room. I didn't even get the chance to talk to Calliope for a few minutes. With Shonda's closing remark, she'd grabbed my arm and we were through the door and down the hall in a rush. One could think she had ulterior motives. "Tell me already."

"Hey!", I protested as she pushed me down into one of the armchairs.

She took a seat across me. "I am waiting..." Her fingers drummed nervously on both arms of her chair.

"There's nothing to tell", I tried.

"Arizona, you are such a bad liar, if not the worst I've ever known. You and Callie, you had just eye sex in there!"  
"In your dreams, Teddy", I answered, but I knew it was useless. Teddy saw right through me. I could always look out for a new best friend. But, how many times had I already thought about that. "Okay...you wanna know everything?"  
She nodded eagerly.

"You should get yourself a cup of coffee."  
"Oh, that good?

I only nodded at first, but then I said: "Pretty Woman."

_*Flashback to last night*_

"_Oh my God, what are you doing?" We stumbled through her house, still kissing. I had to go backwards, but Callie's strong hands held me close to her. Her kisses went down my neck. My pulse was throbbing against her soft lips. I bit my lower lip and tried to control my breathing. It was pointless, I knew it. Her hand stroke some curls from my left shoulder to expose more flesh to her. I felt her lips again and then her tongue running over my skin. I held my breath only to let it out with a__quiet moan. A grin tugged on her lips as we tumbled further along the hall._

"_Tonight, I am going to finish what I started over the last nights", she whispered seductively. Her words made my muscles twitch._

"_Calliope", I moaned barely audible. Maybe she didn't even hear it._

_Suddenly I knew where we ended up. I opened my eyes and what I saw only confirmed my theory. But even more sudden than the realization where I was, I felt her hand on the inside of my knees and my back as she scooped me up in her arms. She was so strong and so utterly beautiful and womanly at the same time. Dangerous. I always fell in love with those kind of women with ease. "Oh God", I blurted. Callie sat me down on her piano and was taking off my high heels in a torturing slow motion. One foot after the other found__its way onto the keys, each accompanied with a disharmonious sound._

_Her hands caressed my stomach and all I could do was stop my heart from bursting out of my body._

_I threw my head back as her hands wandered up my torso and her fingers grazed over the fabric of my dress. She put my arms around her neck and lifted me up once again, only to sat me down a moment later. She somehow managed to push up the fabric until it was scrunched up around my waist. "Arms up", she whispered and I followed.__The next second my carefully chosen dress was somewhere on the floor, carelessly dropped by the woman in front of me. It took my breath away._

"_You." Kiss. "Are." Another kiss. "Beautiful." Her right hand slipped up my back and before I noticed what was happening, she'd pushed the straps of my bra off my shoulders, each time followed by some kisses, and unclasped it. "Even more beautiful", she whispered in my ear. Her lips kissed a way down my neck, over my collarbone and my sternum. Finally, her lips found what they were longing for. A shiver ran down my spine as my body arched more and more into her mouth. My body took control over my mind. My breathing got faster and the need for oxygen made itself present. If Callie wouldn't stop anytime soon, it would be a really short adventure._

_She seemed to notice that. She licked one last time over my left nipple before our lips met again in a searing kiss. My hands were tangled in her dark hard. I held on to her to get some control of myself back, to cool down a little bit. For a moment, she let me have the upper hand, then her lips parted again from mine and she kissed her way over my bare skin._

"_Callie", erupted from my lips as her kisses reached my hips and she tucked at my lacy panties with her teeth. I lifted my pelvis and a few seconds later she was stripping me off of my underwear along my shaking legs. She took a moment to savor the sight before her. I closed my eyes as her hand pushed me__back onto the piano and my legs apart to made some room for herself._

"_Mhmm", she inhaled deeply._

_Under different circumstances I would have felt uncomfortable. But with Callie, I felt surprisingly at home._

_My hips bucked as her tongue stroke over my throbbing clit. "FUCK!"_

_I looked up and saw a dirty grin on her face before she was back, focusing her attention on my center. And just as I thought, that I couldn't handle it anymore, I felt two fingers entering me, pushing in slowly but deep. "Callie", I moaned a little louder. Encouraged, she increased her pace, closed her lips around the tiny pearl and sucked it timidly into her mouth. "Oh my...oh__fuck, Calliope", I screamed. "More!"_

_She stepped up her pace once again and I pushed me over the edge within a couple of thrusts and her tongue still working it's magic on me._

_Callie leaned over me and whispered: "You taste so good, Arizona."_

_I still could not produce any clear words, so I moaned softly instead._

_*End of flashback*_

"If you could only see how red your cheeks are right now", Teddy laughed.

Of course I didn't tell her any details. Just as much as she needed to know. But just as I wanted to say something, a soft knock on the door could be heard.

"Come in", Teddy answered.

"Hi Teddy, Arizona." Callie looked at only me.

"Calliope. What's up?", 'I asked. Please, Teddy, don't say a word. Don't smile. Don't even breathe.'

"I just wanted to ask if you're free later on and if you wanted to practice a little more? I am done in about two hours."  
"Of course", I answered, not able to hide the smile.

"Great. You can just come over when you're free."  
"I will", I said quickly, before Teddy could drop an immature comment.

"See you later."  
"Calliope, wait", I said as she was almost through the door. I quickly stood up and with a few fast steps I stood before her. I wrapped my arms around her neck and kissed her. "See you later," I said softly.

* * *

AN: I've always wanted to write that piano scene :) Hope you don't mind.


	9. Chapter 9

**Callie's POV**  
"Ready?"  
"As ready as I'll ever be."  
"You know, we don't have to do that. If you have second thoughts, we can always wait. That's totally okay. Really. I don't want you to feel pushed into a corner with your back to the wall. And...you know...we can just walk away now."  
"Arizona", I took a deep breath. "We talked about it. I want to be with you. I can't even not be with you. I can't breathe without air and you are my air." She smiled. "We'll do it today. I don't want to hide me – us – for another four weeks – hell, not even one week."  
"And you're really sure about that? You know, your father will probably know when it's out in the open."  
"Yes." That was good. My answer came loud and clear, without hesitation. I pretended to be more sure than I actually was. But the last four weeks were a constant game of hide and seek. Of course we could always meet at my place, but that was like living in a golden cage. And here, at work – well, nobody knew about us. Okay, Teddy knew. And Mark. But we really had to be careful around the others and we didn't want to be careful around our friends. "Let's go." I took her hand and knocked on the door to Shonda's office.  
"Come in?"  
"Shonda..."  
"Oh, it's you. Come in, sit down."  
"We...we have to talk", Arizona began.  
"Okay."  
Arizona looked at me with her blue eyes wide open. I smiled reassuringly and nodded my head.  
"We..."  
"What's Arizona was about to say: we're together."  
"I know."  
"Wha-?"  
"I think I told you already, that I am not blind. When everyone else around has to focus to get the perfect shoot done, and you both think that nobody's watching you, it was just too obvious. The furtive glances, the short light touches. Should I go on?"  
We both sat there, eyes wide open. Shocked. Mouths agape, jaws dropped to the bottom.  
"Does...?" I couldn't even finish my question.  
"Anybody else know? No. I wanted to wait until you'd come to me on your own."  
"What", I gulped, "What does that mean for us?"  
"Excuse me?"  
"Do we get fired?", Arizona asked.  
"No. As I said before, I get a say in that too. "  
"You do?"  
"Of course. I'd have to rewrite the whole season and after everything that happened with Erica...well, let's just say, that was a once in a lifetime thing and I will not let that happen again."  
I smiled. Shonda kept her promise.  
"Have you thought about whether you want to go public?"  
"Yes."  
"Yes you thought about it, or yes, you want to go public?"  
"It's a double yes then", I answered, took Arizona's hand in mine and placed a chaste kiss on the back of hers.  
"Okay. I'll talk to the producers. Keep your mouth shut until I cleared everything, okay?"  
"Of course", I answered.  
"What's with our friends?", Arizona asked.  
"I don't see a reason why they'd not be allowed to know."  
"Thank God", Arizona said.  
"It's basically your decision", Shonda told us. "I'm just happy that you trust me."  
"Who else?"  
"Sloan, Altman."  
"Well..."  
"Figured", Shonda smiled. "Okay, now that the problem would be off the table, you excuse me? I have to write the last pages so this season can go down with a big explosion. And a wedding", she winked. "And I have to make some calls." Her smile grew bigger. "I'm happy for yor.  
"Thank you", we said in unison.  
"Well, that was easy", I said as I closed the door behind us and heard Arizona sigh in relief.  
"I agree." She squeezed my hand a little tighter this time. "What's your plan for today?"  
"Mhmm, let me think...I have to get my hair and make-up done in about two hours, so I can shoot a scene with that really, really gorgeous beautiful woman where we have to save the life of a little girl with cracked rips that pierced her torso – if I remember correctly."  
"A beautiful woman?"  
"Oh yeah. She's got those amazing big blue eyes. As blue as the sky and as deep as the ocean. And she's got those soft long curls." I paused for a moment. "And when she smiles at me, everything gets better because she's got those dangerous dimples." Arizona blushed. "Her hands are so tender and she's got those slender fingers, that..." I had to stop. Too many inappropriate thoughts were running through my mind.  
"Sounds like the perfect woman", Arizona joked and interlaced our fingers.  
"You have no idea", I said and breathed a kiss on her lips.  
"When do we tell them?"  
" What about...now? I'm not sure if I can stand another hour not being near you, touching or kissing you."  
"Because you know what I am able to do with my fingers?"  
"Arizona", I sighed. It should come like a warning, but somehow I had the feeling that no other sounds than lust and want were able to leave my throat.  
"And you are sure really sure about that?"  
"Is there any way back now?"  
"Of course."  
"I mean, one that doesn't make us both unhappy?"  
She lowered her eyes. "Maybe not", she finale responded. "Calliope, I..."  
"Hey, Robbins, Torres, you need to see this. Yang's having trouble with the X-rays . Teddy's laughing her ass off!" And with that, Mark was gone again. He really had a talent for bad timing.  
"I think our news is way better than the outtakes."  
"Callie, wait", she started and held me back by taking my hand.  
"Is something wrong?", I asked. She was acting weird since we left Shonda's office.

**Arizona's POV**  
"I...I have to tell you something."  
"Okay?"  
"You know, actually, I should not say it right now, because everything's going so well between us. But then again, I have to tell you, because I'm about to explode."  
"Oh my God. You...you don't want that, right? That's why you keep asking me if I am sure about it, am I right? Why didn't you say something? We didn't have to do that. We shouldn't have done that. We should go back in and stop Shonda before she's going to call the producers!"  
"Calliope!" 'God, if that woman's ranting, it's impossible to stop her.' "Will you please just listen to me?  
She nodded in response.  
"Thank you." I took both of her hands and held them tight in mine. "I want that. I want it so badly, sometimes I think my chest's going to burst. Because I love you, Calliope." I paused and let my words sink in. "I know it's pretty early for those words, but...could you please look at me, Calliope?!", I asked as I saw her eyes were glued to the floor. She complied and I started to speak again. "I know, that, maybe I scared you away, fine. It is how it is. But I want you to know, that this thing didn't just start a few ago. Not for me."  
"How long?", she asked all of a sudden and locking our eyes.  
"Uhm...I don't know. A few months...maybe a year?"  
She didn't say anything.  
"Can I be honest with you?"  
"She nodded slightly.  
"Since Sara and Jessica are a couple...", I confessed.  
"That's quite some time."  
"Yeah. And you have no idea how it was to be allowed to kiss you but not to really kiss you."  
"I think I can imagine", she said quietly and closed the distance between us. I shut my eyes and waited. When our lips finally met, I felt that familiar tingle inside of me. I felt the fireworks and the butterflies. 'Yeah, nowhere else I'd rather be.' Shivers ran down my spine and I thought I could feel her kisses from my head to my toes. To my fingertips. "And for the record", she said when she let go of my lips. "I love you, too."  
"Uhm...we have an audience", I whispered. I saw almost the whole crew standing behind my girlfriend.  
"Hey Torres, quite a catch", Cristina congratulated.  
"Yeah, Cal, quite a catch", Mark winked.  
"So, I'm not a catch?", Callie asked.  
"You're the best catch", I whispered and kissed her. I tried to control myself to not deepen the kiss in front of everyone. If you'd asked my body, and we'd have been alone...'Don't even think about it, Arizona. Work first, than pleasure. Oh, and what a pleasure that was going to be. The feeling of her bodywrithing and arching under my touch. Her fingers, tangled in my hair, when I...Robbins, stop.' "Come with me", I said quickly.  
"Wha – where are we going?"  
"My locker. Right. Now."  
"Oh...okay", she said, that dirty grin on her face clearly visible for everybody around us.

* * *

"Arizona", she moaned. It was like music in my ears. The first sound resembled the first key played on a piano, the first note of a violin. "Teddy", she said quietly.  
"Teds is busy", I answered and pushed my fingers inside of her again

"But...what's..."  
"She can watch, if she wants to", I said bluntly as I pushed her harder against the wall of my changing room. "Unless you want her to join us."  
"Oh, Arizona", she groaned again. "We can't..."  
"Do you want me to stop?" I pointed my question with deep, intense thrusts.  
She shook her head. "No! Oh God, no. Don't stop!", she begged.  
"Figured." I _bumped _faster inside of her center. It would be easier, if she'd not still be wearing her pants, but I hadn't thought about that. After discarding her shirt and bra to the floor, I could not wait any longer. So I simply unbuttoned her jeans and slid my hand between the lace fabric and her skin. She was so wet. "Calliope", I breathed. "Come for me."  
"Aaaaah", she screamed, biting her lip.  
My lips found her breast and sucked on the hardened bud. "Come, beautiful."  
"Oooh, Arizona." She let go of her lip to bite her forearm instead to muffle her voice as her walls clenched around my fingers and her orgasm hit her.  
I held her upright and kept my hand where it was, my fingers still buried inside of her. "You're so beautiful", I said before I kissed her. Her breathing was ragged and pretty uneven, but I just had to feel her soft lips against mine.  
"You're gonna _be the death of me_", she said slowly as she opened her eyes and I could still see the desire in her brown orbs.  
"If you can trust your contracting muscles", I moved my fingers inside of her for a split second, "you're very much alive."  
"Uuughhnnn..."  
I pulled my fingers out and stroked them over her bottom lip. Seeing her eyes went even darker, I kissed her, tasting her on her own lips. Our tongues met and played with each other. I felt her hands slipping under my button down shirt as I heard a loud knocking on the door.  
"Arizona? You're in there? Why is the door locked?"  
"You locked the door?", Callie asked.  
"Of course. Do you think I want Teddy to see you like this?" I handed the bra over to her.  
"Arizona? Is everything okay?"  
"One second!", I called out for her and handed Callie her shirt. "As beautiful as you are, Calliope, your naked body's for no one else to see. I don't share." With one last peck on her lips, I turned the key in the lock and opened the door for my best friend.  
"Can you tell me, why...oh, I see", she answered her own question, grinning like Mark Sloan. Her gaze surely glued to Callie, who was standing by my side with very red cheeks.  
"I...I have to go. Will I see you tonight?"  
"I would never say no to that", I answered.

* * *

AN: Aaaaaawwww, 'I love you'...Right?


	10. Chapter 10

Sooo, update. But, just a little one :)

AN: Everything that is like **this** is Arizona singing. _This_ is Callie singing and _**this**_is both of them singing together.

* * *

**Callie's POV**

"Nervous?"  
"Just a little", I answered honestly.

"It will all be okay, Callie. We have ABC and Shonda to on our side. Hell, the whole cast, our friends support us to the moon and back.

"I know", I said quickly. It didn't even worry about all the people in the world. They could think about it what they wanted to. But I knew for sure, as soon as this interview was done and out every damn celebrity magazine would show us on its cover. And it would not take long until my phone would ring. Why didn't I tell them the news myself? Yeah, right. I was afraid of the thunderstorm called daddy.

Arizona squeezed my hand. "Breathe, Calliope. Breathe.

I nodded as much needed air filled my lungs. "Okay, let's do it."  
Arizona and I took place behind the white table. Exactly where Meredith and Derek had been sitting next to Shonda until a few minutes ago. I kneaded my fingers until I felt Arizona's fingers intertwining with mine under the table.

"Shonda, what will happen to Jessica and Sara in this season?", one reporter asked.

It was smart to break the news at an official 'Heartbeat' press conference. That way, we were not the only one in the spotlights. At least, until we dropped the bomb.

"I have big plans with them, unfortunately I can't spill any beans.

"Can you give us just a little thing? To keep the fans somehow satisfied?"  
"Let me think. Oh, of course. They will face some heavy weather, but they'll come out stronger in the end. That's the plan this season.

"Rumors are going around, that there's a musical episode planned. What should we expect? Something like Buffy? Will they just start to sing? Will we hear everybody sing?"  
"The rumors are true." Whispering could be heard from almost everyone. "But we won't write any new songs for this. We will use songs we had before on the show, at least, a few chosen, special ones. And yes, the whole cast is going to sing. We have amazing singers aboard. Lexie's one of them. Owen has a fantastic manly voice. And of course, Calliope Torres."  
I flinched when I heart Shonda utter my whole name.

"Can you give us a taste of what's to come?"

And suddenly: all eyes on me. Great. "I...I don't know. Shonda?"  
"Go for it. I am curious as well."

I saw her leaning back in her chair, relaxing, waiting. 'Breathe', I reminded myself. "What...what should I sing?"  
Arizona leaned over to Shonda. "What about-"

Then she whispered something and Shonda smiled. "Great idea, Arizona."

"What's going on?", I asked as Arizona stood up.

"You always tell me, that you can't sing while you're sitting on your butt. It's because of the diaphragm, you said. It needs room to breathe.

I nodded in silence.

"Stand up, Calliope", she said smiling.

And then I heard it. Her angel-like voice filling the room. Everybody stopped talking abruptly.

"**With your child's eyes**

**You are more than you seem"**

Blue eyes met brown. It was all I could think about. She was all I could think about.

"**You see into space**

**I see in your face"**

'Text. Text. Where's the goddamn text?'

"**The places you've been**

**The things you have learned**

**They sit with you so beautifully"**

As she sung her last lines, I took another deep breath, closed my eyes and finally started to sing too:

"_You know there's no need to hide away_

_You know I tell the truth"_

She took my hand and sang along with me for one sentence. Our voices harmonizing with each other – even if it was just for a few seconds – as well as our hearts.

"_**We are just the same"**_

"_I can feel in everything you do_

_You're everything you say_

_Even when you're miles away_

_Cause I am me, the universe and you"_

"_**Cause I am me, the universe and you"**_

We'd sang the last lines together again. When I opened my eyes and our gazes met again, I knew she could see how proud I was. Our weeks of work and practice really paid off. But, that wasn't the reason I was proud. I was proud to call her my girlfriend.

"Are there any further questions?", Shonda asked, breaking the silence.

"There are rumors going around, that there's another couple on set. I mean, beside Meredith and Derek, Cristina and Owen. How much of that is true?"  
Shonda locked eyes with us. We both just smiled reassuringly. "I am really happy that I've been given the honor to confirm this rumor. We all wish you the best for your love, Callie and Arizona", she finished and it didn't even take a second for the camera flashes to start. I just smiled in the direction of the photographers. Luckily, we were the last part of the conference.

**Arizona's POV**

"Well, that wasn't so bad, right?"

"Mhmm", she answered.

"Hey, Calliope, are you okay? You've been very quiet all afternoon."

"Worried."  
'Great. One-word-answers.' "Your family?"  
"Mhmm."  
"They'll understand."  
"Arizona, my parents are that catholic, they might serve the Pope. "  
"Ssshhh", I took her face in my palms. "I know. But I'm here with you, okay?"

"Okay", she breathed and smiled. And as if on cue, 'Papa don't preach' rang out of her purse and her smile froze. "My father."

"Calliope", I laughed. Papa don't preach when you're father's calling you? That's tasteless, really", I winked at her.

"It fits", she answered and picked up the phone. "Hi, daddy."  
"Calliope Iphigenia Torres!", I could hear a deep male voice. Either he yelled very loudly, or Callie's phone was set to loud. I was hoping for the last.

"Daddy, please-", she tried. "Daddy, please, just lis-" He seemed to interrupt her every time she was trying to say something. "What? Daddy, no. I'm-" "Papá, yo soy lo suficientemente mayor. Tengo 29 años de edad." (Daddy, I am a grown woman. I am 29.) At least he seemed to listen when she was talking to him in Spanish. I didn't understand a word. "No se puede dictar a mí, a quien me enamoro, papá. Esta es mi vida! (You can't tell me who I can fall in love with, papá. This is my life!) Daddy, please...please don't." And then all she did was stare at her phone.

"I assume, it didn't go well?" I pulled her quickly in my arms.

"He wants me to come home."  
"You are at home."  
"No. Home as in Miami, home. Where my father grew up. He said, I was living in sin if it's true what the media is saying."

"What did you tell him?"  
"That I am old enough and he can't dictate how I will live my life."  
"And I guess he didn't like your answer?"  
She shook her head. "It's either going back to Miami or breaking up with you."

My arms spasmed around her and held her even tighter. "So..." I didn't even know what to say to that, how to react. It would hurt either way. "What's your decision?"  
"You. It'll always be you. Not Miami, especially not because my father wants me to. I am old enough. What could possibly happen?"

* * *

AN2: I hope it worked for you. It did for me for now, as there are only two people singing. There's a part in this story where 8 people will be singing 'together'. Still trying to figure out how I will to that.

AN3: So, what can possibly happen, right?

AN4: I do not know any Spanish. So, everything's just translated via google-translate :)


	11. Chapter 11

Yaay, update?

An: of course, I don't own anything.

* * *

**Callie's POV**

My phone was ringing constantly for the past few hours. I turned of the house phone, muted my freaking cell phone. The blinking of the screen alone told me every incoming call, or new message from my mailbox. My dad gave up about an hour ago, my mum was way more stubborn. And suddenly another picture came up. "Aria?"

"Callie! What the hell were you think-?"

"Aria, stop. Please. I don't need that from you too", I interrupted her and rolled my eyes.

"Calliope Torres. What the hell were you thinking not telling your sister before the whole world that you are madly in love?", Aria asked. I could even hear her smile through the phone.

"You… you're not mad?"

"Of course I am mad. But not because you turned your back to the men in this world."

"Where are you right now?"

"London", she stated.

"The news made it to Europe already?"

"What did you expect? Thought it would stay in the USA?"

"I don't know. Maybe?"

"Listen sis. I'm calling because papá is terrorizing me for an hour now.

"Great. He stopped calling me and now he's calling you to get you on his side?"

"I told him I'm not going to side with anyone. I'm happy for you Callie. It's just.. you're sure she's worth it? You know you have to be sure to be able to convince papá."

"I am Aria. But I don't believe that papá will ever come around with this. He and the church are going hand in hand his whole life."

"But you are his little girl. You're his Calliope. His own flesh and blood."

I didn't know what to say to that.

"Callie, please call mamá. She's worried"

"Worried I'm going to rot in hell?" I could hear my sister gulp. "Silence says more than 1000 words, Aria."

"Just pick up when she calls you again, and talk to her."

"Okay."

You promise, little sis?"

A grumbled 'promised' left my lips and I said bye to Aria. It didn't even take a minute for my phone to ring again. I took a deep breath and tried to think of Arizona's face, especially her eyes and her smile. "Mamá", I picked up.

"Calliope Torres", she yelled.

'Why does everybody think I'd listen just because they say my full name?'

"Es cierto?" (Is it true?).

"Si, mamá."

"Así que no te he criado. Llegas a casa a la vez." (That's not how we raised you. You're coming home! Now!

"No, mamá. "Estoy en casa." (I am at home). And I didn't mean this house. My heart was home when I was with Arizona.

"Calliope, su padre viene a por ti, tienes una semana." (Calliope, your father is coming to get you. You have one week).

"One week for what, mamá?

"Para finalizar esta relación falsa y volver a la senda correcta."(To end this wrong relationship and to come back to the right path).

"This I the right way for me, mamá. Me encanta Arizona!" (I love Arizona).

"Eso es mentira. Dos mujeres no deben mantenerse juntos. Esto no es normal. Este es un pecado!" (That is a lie. Two women should never lie as a man lies with a woman. That is not normal. It's a sin).

"Mamá, please."

"Calliope, you heard me. One week." And with that, the line went dead.

**Arizona's POV**

"Hey, I'm back. You'll never believe how much traffic's on the street. One could think you can get something for free somewhere." I stopped in the middle of the hallway, pizza boxes in my hand. "Calliope?" She didn't move, instead she stared at her cell phone in her hand. "Calliope?" Then I saw her tear stained face. I put the pizza boxes on the table and wrapped my arms around her. She flinched for a moment until her muscles relaxed. "Calliope, what happened?"

"My father…he…he's…." Heavy sobs interrupted her explanation. "He's dragging me home. Next week. They're saying it's not normal, I am not normal."

"Oh, Callie." I tried to calm her and stroke softly through her long dark curls. "They'll come around."

"Zona, they gave me one week."

"Wha -No -Tha– " I needed three attempts to even get one complete sentence out.

"They'll calm down, Calliope. They are shocked. And they found out on TV."

"I don't want to leave you."

"You won't have to."

"You don't know my father. He can make it happen that ABC is going to fire me. He can make you think that I hate you and then….then you'll hate me because you'd think that…

"I could never hate you, Calliope", I told her. "You have to give them some time. Talk to your father again. Tomorrow or maybe the day after."

"That won't change anything."

"Then we can work together and make the change happen, okay?"

I felt slight nodding against my shoulder. "Let's eat. The pizza is getting cold."

"Okay." For a moment, there was silence. She didn't move and didn't say a word. "Arizona?", she suddenly whispered.

"Yes?

"Promise me, you're not leaving me."

"As long as you don't want me to, I'll stay", I answered.

"Okay." Silence filled the house again. "Arizona?"

"Hmm?"

"How… did your parents react?"

"Different."

"How?"

"I…I never had a boyfriend, let alone a husband. I think it wasn't that much of a surprise for my parents. My brother even said, he knew for a long time."

"You have a brother?"

"Had…", I answered quietly.

"Oooh…how?"

"Iraq. I don't like to talk about it."

"Okay. Pizza?"

"Love to", I answered but didn't let go. "Calliope?"

"Yes?"

"I'll tell you. Just not now, okay?"

"Okay."

"It doesn't change my feelings for you, Calliope."

"I know."

Finally, a smile. "Now, there's the beautiful woman I'm lucky to call my girlfriend. I thought, her father had already come and get her.'

"He should not think, I'm going without a fight."

"Good", I smiled and kissed her long and deep. "Let's eat, I'm almost starved."

**Callie's POV**

"Callie, can I talk to you in my office", Shonda yelled through the hallway.

"In a minute!" I turned towards Arizona. "Go ahead. I'm sure it won't take long." I gave her one last peck on her lips and let go of her hand. "Love you.

"You too."

I knocked on the door to Shonda's office, waited for her answer, and stepped in. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Have a seat, please", she said as she shut down her notebook,

"Is something wrong?"

"I want to know that from you."

"Don't know what you mean, Shonda?"

"My phone rang almost every minute this morning. At first I thought, someone's gotten the wrong number, because all I heard was a lot of Spanish rants and curses."

'Holy shit!'

"But the calls didn't stop. The third time it switched to English. Can you tell me why your father is blaming me to corrupt his daughter?"

"I…"

"He called me Satan, Callie."

"I am so sorry, Shonda. My father, he is…"

"Angry?"

"Catholic", I answered. He saw the interview, he's not very pleased."

"Look, make sure you get that under control. I don't need any trouble."

"Of course, Shonda."

"Great, that's it."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. You can thank Nataly for putting the calls through to me, not to the head producer."

Oh God! I thought I was going to vomit! "I will handle this, Shonda", I lied. I had still six days left to find a solution.

"Make sure you do."

* * *

"What did she want?"

"My father. He's unbelievable. He has the nerves to call MY work and call MY boss names."

"What is next? Will he call my agent to get my phone number?"

"That is not funny, Arizona. That is…" There was a loud knock on the door. "Come in?"

"Calliope."

"Daddy?" My hands began to shake. What did he want? Mamá said I had one week.

"Calliope, I'd like to talk to you." His stern look was locked on Arizona. Of course he knew who she was. He saw it on TV. "Alone."

As Arizona made an attempt to leave, I held her back. "Stay."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Calliope."

My father narrowed his eyes. "I think so, too."

"Well, I don't. Arizona can hear what you're going to say."

"So, that's the reason."

"Arizona, is no reason Daddy. She's a human being. She's a woman and I love her."

"You can't be serious, Calliope."

"I am. What are you even doing here? Mamá said I get a week."

"When this Miss Rhimes didn't show any sign of cooperation, I took the family jet and came here."

"She doesn't have to be cooperative, Daddy, as you put it. This is not her fault, it is –"

"She made your character a lesbian."

"And I've always been one, Daddy!"

"Ridiculous! You were married to a man."

"Yeah, and this marriage there ever was. Shakespeare would write poems about it! Do you even remember? You wanted to kill George when you found out what happened."

"Calliope, you already went against the church by divorcing this man. If you choose to live this life, you're lost.  
"Daddy, whether you believe me or not, but Arizona is not the first woman I've fallen for. I just plan on making her the last." I needed to sound as sure and convincing as possible.

"This is a farce. I'll take you home where you pack up a few things you need and then you'll come with me to Miami." He tried to grab my arm.

"No! Daddy, I'm gonna say it one more time and I will say it in English so Arizona can understand what I am saying. I am staying. And I will not end this relationship just because you say so. You can't send me to another boarding school or drag me home as you want to. I'm grown up, daddy, and I am making my own decisions. I love you, daddy, I love you all. But that's exactly the point here. I love Arizona and I don't know how to live or survive without her. You will have to accept that. You're not going to take me somewhere I don't want to be."  
"Calliope, you don't know what you're saying. This...person, she brainwashed you...or something."  
"Just look at her, daddy. She's human, just like you and me. She is no worth less than you are. If I think about it, she is actually worth much more than you."

His eyes fell on Arizona again and I stepped in front of her to protect her if necessary. I knew his passion for throwing people against walls. "You're coming home with me, there's nothing to argue about."  
"I. Am. Staying."

"You're going with me, Calliope. You'll go to church again and do your confessions. And if father Kevin wants you to pray hundred Ave Maria's then you're going to do just that."  
"Do you think God can change who I am? Who I love?"  
"This is not love."  
"Mr. Torres, I love your daughter", stepped Arizona in front of me.

"I am not talking to you, Miss..."  
"Robbins, Sir. Arizona Robbins."  
"Whatever. Calliope, I will wait for you at the airport in the evening. If you won't show up until 8pm, consider yourself as disinherited."  
"I am barely off at 8pm", was my first answer. It should have been a different one, but I really thought I already said my bits about that.

"Enrico will pick you up."  
"Shove it, Daddy. I am staying."  
"I really hope, you're making the right decision, Calliope."  
"I already did", I said while squeezing Arizona's hand.

"You're turning your back on your family?"  
"No. It's my family who's turning their back on me", I said. I couldn't understand how my father could still be so unreasonable.

"Choose wisely, little girl. There are decisions you can't take back", he said and kissed my forehead. Then he tried to drag me along.

"So be it", I answered and stayed where I was. "It's not me who is ruining this family, daddy. Even if you think it's me, it's you."

With that said, my father left my locker room. I tumbled backwards and slid down on the floor, my back against the wall. I made the right decision, right?"

* * *

AN:2 Oh oh...Carlos Torres is not one to mess with...


	12. Chapter 12

AN: I hope you'll enjoy that part :)

* * *

**Arizona's POV**  
We left the studios together at some time around eight in the evening. The air was cool, but the rain had first diminished at some point and finally stopped completely about an hour ago.  
"Miss Torres!", a male voice hollered.  
"Huh?" Callie stopped abruptly and turned around, scanning the parking lot, focusing on the direction where the voice had come from. "Enrico?"  
"Miss Torres, long time no see." A tall Latino made his way towards us.  
"Uh, Enrico. What are you doing here?"  
"Your father sent me. I should take you to the airport."  
Callie grumbled and reached for my hand. "You can tell my father, that I didn't change my mind. I'm staying." Pain was very audible in her voice, along with anger and disappointment.  
"Miss Torres, I have explicit instructions to get you to the airport."  
"Enrico, you know me since I was a little girl. You know that I didn't side with my father for most of the decisions he made for me. And now I am telling you, I am staying. I'm staying at the one place my heart calls home."  
"Miss Torres", his gaze switched between Callie and me. "I will tell your father that you made a decision", he answered. "You've really grown up, Miss Torres." With that, he got back in the Mercedes and took off down the road to the right, heading for the airport.  
"I am so proud of you, you know that?", I asked her.  
"There's nothing to be proud of."  
"You stood up to your father, Calliope. You wanted to protect me and you stood up for your own believes, Calliope. That's a lot to be proud of."  
"Yeah, I finally found the courage to do that. Took only 29 years to get there", she answered sarcastically.  
"It doesn't matter if you're 29 or fifteen years old", I said smiling at her. "You did it, and that's what counts." I gave her a light peck on her right cheek. "You are an amazing woman, Calliope. Beautiful and strong. And your family will see this at one point in their lives. You just have to give them some time."  
"You really think they'll come around?"  
I nodded in response. "They'd be stupid to abandon such a miraculous woman, because of who she fell in love with." The sad look in her eyes shook me to the core. "Come on, let's get you home."  
"I...I'd rather be alone, Arizona."  
"No. And that's out of question."  
"Arizona, please."  
"Calliope, no. You are angry and hurt and I'm not gonna let you get in your car and drive in that state you are in. Give me the keys and I'll take you home. If you still want to be alone, we can talk about it. But I'm not going anytime soon." I hoped I put my foot down on that one. "Keys?", I persisted and breathed out as she handed me the keys without throwing a temper tantrum. "Thank you."

**Callie's POV**  
Somewhat reluctantly, I gave her the keys to my beloved old T-Bird. Nobody was allowed to drive my car, not even Mark or my sister.  
"Calliope, you coming?", I heard her voice before she slipped into the drivers seat. I took place next to her, fell into a slightly comfortable silence and stared out of the front shield. Thousand thoughts were running through my head and everyone took off to a different direction. 'Sort them out, Callie' I thought to myself. 'Keep your head focused.' How could my father think I was just leaving with him as if I had no life in Seattle? Didn't he listen? I loved Arizona. With every thought about her, my head turned involuntary to look at her. Blonde hair fell loose over her shoulders. The last rays of sunshine that broke through after the rain was gone, illuminated the sky behind her and made her glow in a warm light. Just like angels would do. "My angel", I whispered.  
"Did you say something, Calliope?", she smiled.  
"Thanks", I answered quickly. "Thank you."  
"I didn't do anything", she reciprocated, looking confused.  
"You're still here with me. You have no idea...not as..." I was not able to end this sentence. If I would, I would allow my fears to get the better of me. And I would be too scared, she would leave me as well.  
"Of course I am. Do you think a strict father, including a very conservative family forces me on my knees?"  
I didn't answer. I had no answer.  
"Calliope, I can give you only two reasons for me to get on my knees."  
I looked at her quizzically. What did she mean?  
"Oh, Calliope, if I would tell you one of the reasons, I think I'd have to stop the car." The dirty grin on her face didn't go unnoticed by me. "And for the second one...well, let's give this relationship a little more time, okay?" I watched the desire in her eyes fade away and get replaced with love and adoration.  
'Did she just...?'  
"We're here. Do you want me to come inside with you?"  
I didn't even notice that she had turned into the driveway of my house and that my car was now parked in front of the garage. Was it still my house? Could my father take it away from me, although I was registered as owner. 'God, Callie, keep yourself together. There are way more important things.'  
"Calliope?"  
"Yes, please", I answered and got out of the car.

**Arizona's POV**  
I looked over to the alarm clock on the nightstand, half past 2 in the morning. I thought, she'd still be sound asleep. I couldn't say how long I had soothingly stroked through her locks and it didn't matter. At one point, she'd calmed down and the tears had stopped running down her cheeks. Her breathing evened out until it became finally peaceful. And I really thought, she'd fell asleep, until the movement of the bed told me otherwise. When the bedroom door cracked open and closed very quietly, I was sure she thought too, I was asleep. Maybe she'd just waited to be sure I wasn't awake. Obviously, we were both pretty good at hiding our thoughts and sleeplessness.  
I didn't want to think about it anymore, but the memory was burned into my head. The words her father had said, hurt her pretty badly and it broke my heart to see her like that. Those beautiful brown eyes that were full of love and happiness every time she looked at me, after the _little_ incident with her father, they'd been first full of sadness. But suddenly, emptiness, and that worried me. How could he hurt his daughter this much?"  
I looked over to the nightstand again. The red digital clock told me, it was 3 AM. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and tiptoed out into the hallway. Something was off. There was no way she'd be in the bathroom for that long. Not at night – still I tried to knock on the door. Nothing. Slowly, I made my way down the stairs.  
I hadn't even reached the bottom when I could already hear a melody. It was very faint, there was no way I'd heard it if I had stayed in the bedroom. Sometimes I wondered if there was music flowing through her veins instead of blood and life.  
I stopped in front of the piano room and closed my eyes for a moment. It sounded so sad, but I was thrilled to hear Calliope play the violin. It was the first time I witnessed it.  
I opened the wooden door carefully. Callie stood with her back to me, the room high glass doors were wide open and she stared out into the night while the instrument in her hand came alive. It was heart wrenching, full of pain and it tore my heart apart, but at the same time, it was so utterly amazing.  
I walked slowly up to her and put my arms around her waist on her stomach. She didn't even startle, she just played on. I closed my arms around her and held her in place. "Calliope", I whispered as I saw the tears on her cheeks. I was not aware that I made some moves until I noticed my own hands roaming the sides of her curvy body. It was a sight for sore eyes how she stood there just in a tank top and her boxers. Her fingers played the violin as if they were simply made to do just that. The bow touched the strings and generated sounds that could not sound any more beautiful if they tried – but inside of me everything screamed to just take the pain away from her.

**Callie's POV**  
"Go ahead", she breathed against my ear before her lips found my almost bare shoulder and her hands wandered over my body. "Don't stop playing, Calliope."  
I wanted to say something, but beside the fact that I still had the violin attached to my chin, I could not make a coherent thought to save my life. My music had helped me to clear my head. I had send every thought and feeling out into the night with every stroke of my bow. One sure-fire tactic when I could not sleep.  
"I love you", she whispered. Her left hand found its way under the fabric of my tank top and softly caressed the skin of my belly. Her right hand stroke the inside of my right thigh. I could easily forget where I was right now, and all because Arizona was touching me like she did.  
"Is said, don't stop playing."  
'Oh God.' Arizona was hot all the time. But a demanding Arizona way beyond hot. Still, I had to try and stay focused on the violin in my hand.  
"You and this violin", she began. "You have no idea how stunning you are." Her kisses left my shoulder to find a way to my neck. "My Calliope..." She cupped my breasts and massaged them softly. Her thumb and forefinger played with my hardening nipples. I wanted to scream. I wanted to turn around and kiss her, when she reminded me to play on. She didn't know I left out a whole setting, but I did. Nobody ever made me forget the music I had memorized, because some of them were my own. Beside of that, I knew almost every piece of music by heart and could play them without making any mistakes. That is, until now. Until a certain woman with blonde tresses and blue eyes was able to take away all my senses with just one look, one touch, one kiss.  
Her left hand was still roaming over my torso as the fingertips of her right hand made their way under the fabric of my boxer with ease. A very raspy "Arizona" managed its way through my lungs and over my lips.  
"Oh God", she moaned as her fingers pushed a little deeper and cupped my mount. "Calliope", followed shortly after that. Her fingers stroke and circled my clit and I really tried to stand tall and to play on. "I need more of you", I heard all of a sudden and before I could even process her words, she yanked the shorts down my legs until they were loose around my ankles. She turned me around so I was facing her. "You play on", she demanded when I took the bow off the strings. "I'm gonna show you a way I love to go on my knees any...time." She began to kiss every inch of my torso she could reach without making me stop producing tones. The notes rang through the room, mixed with the sounds of my pleasure and my ragged breathing. My pulse raced through my body as she pushed my legs slightly apart and placed her kisses from my thighs to the point of pure lust.  
I heard a deep "Mhmm." I couldn't even say if it was a moan that slipped my lips or if it was hers. Maybe it was a weird sound on the violin. But to be honest, I couldn't care less.  
Her tongue was working its magic on me, igniting the fireworks. As I felt one finger enter me, I let the bow and the violin slide down on either of my sides. It was too much to handle. "Arizona". I moaned. I looked down and saw blonde curls slightly swinging back and forth. "Oh God." That sight pushed me further towards the edge of my orgasm. With one hand, I held her head in place. 'Yeah, as if she'd run away now.' I felt another finger push inside of me with ease and I thought I'd come right then and there. Soft thrusts combined with gentle strokes of her tongue made my muscles twitch.  
"Arizona, I..." I started. "Oh...FUCK!", I screamed as she licked me over the edge towards the first wave of pleasure, curling her fingers every now and then inside me. And then it hit me. An orgasm ripped through my jerking body, so strong that I saw stars flashing behind my closed eyes.  
Greedy she tried to catch every last drop of my juices before she kissed her way back up to my mouth. I could taste myself on her lips and tongue, it was setting my taste buds on fire.  
"Will you come back to bed with me now?", she asked cocky after she gave me some time to come down from my high.  
I put the violin down and back into its case, placing the bow next to it. "What if I say no?", I asked, biting my bottom lip as I saw blue eyes that were dark with desire.  
"Well, then...", she stroked over her panties with her own hand, "oooh, I think I'll just have to...ugh...handle that fire on my own." She turned on her heels and left for the stairs.  
'Oh no. Not so fast. I got a say in that too.'

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AN2: the song I let Callie play in that part is this one: watch?v=-EQ6eHeBrhM just, you know, without the piano in the beginning. In case this link is not working, type in "sad violin" on youtube and you'll find it in a heartbeat. That is, if you want to know the song ;)

AN3: I REALLY do appreciate the reviews you give me. And I really can't believe that you are still with me. Thank you so much!


	13. Chapter 13

AN: I still own nothing except of my thoughts.

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**Callie's POV**

"Hi", she whispered as my eyes barely fluttered open the next morning.

"Good morning", I answered in a raspy voice. I have never been a morning person. Not that I could not get out of bed, I just wasn't in a happy mood right after waking up. And not even Arizona's dimpled smile could change that…or her eyes. Maybe the dimples. But oooh, most definitely the sight of her naked skin next to me. Mhmm. My fingers reached out a little more to cup her breast.

"Calliope", she let out a light moan.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do about that. They are too perfect. I just have to touch them."

"How did you sleep?", she tried to distract me.

"Like a rock", I laughed. "Which is no big surprise to me after the little marathon we had in here last night.

"I just wanted to keep your mind occupied with good things."

"Well, it worked." I leaned into her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "And now I am hungry. What do you think about pancakes?"

"A lot"

"Okay. You stay here, get a little more rest. I'm going downstairs to make breakfast, after that, we both need a shower and then it's…uff…time to leave for work."

"Calliope, don't be like that. You love your job."

"Of course I do. But today I'd rather snuggle up in bed all day. You know, lock out the world."

"And by world you mean your family."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement, still, I nodded. "I just don't get him._"_

"Look at me, Calliope." She lifted my head with her finger under my chin, this way I had to look her in the eyes. "Everything is going to be okay, okay?"

I nodded my head, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. I could live with my father disowning me – perhaps. I could presume the prayers my mother prayed in church, but I couldn't hear them. My sister was kind of like Switzerland in this war. She wasn't taking sides with anyone. But still, my father had so much power over me, over my life. And I couldn't – for the love of God – remember if he was able to take the house away from me. Of course, I was owner of the land, but my father was still the official owner of the estate. I wasn't even afraid of looking for something else. I knew, I could afford it with how I was living my life. I would have to find a place to store my piano, but other than that, I lived very down to earth, not counting the times Arizona was knocking me off my feet. And even then, she was always there to catch me.

Arizona.

She was worth all this. I would give up almost everything for her. But, this house held so many memories.

"Sshh," I heard her. Shortly after, slender fingers were combing through my locks. "Everything needs time."

I buried my face in the crook of her neck.

"l love you", she whispered softly into my ear and kissed my temple.

**Arizona's POV**

I entered the kitchen and immediately the well know smile crept on my face. I loved to watch Calliope, as her hips swayed to the rhythm of the song on the radio. The smell of home-made pancakes filled my nostrils. "Hmm", I hummed, went over to the beautiful Latina and put my arms around her waist.

"God Arizona."

"Why so jumpy, Calliope?"

"Well,when you hugged me like that last night…", she stopped, taking a deep breath.

I grinned. "Mhmm. But now I am way too hungry", I answered, reaching my hand out for the pancakes.

"Hands off!"

"But they are my pancakes too", I pouted.

"But they are not ready yet. So shush, back to bed with you. I'll be with you in five minutes."

"Okay", I grumbled, stole yet another kiss from her lips and made my way back to the bedroom. Half way down the hall on the first floor, I stopped, eyeing the dark wooden door to the left. It was older than the others. I knew the reason: it was Callie's old room. I stood in front of it a few nights ago and she'd told me, she'd not wanted to replace that door because she felt that only that door could keep her secrets and memories safe. I felt bad for being so curious. On the other hand, I really wanted to see what was behind that door. I pushed the handle down carefully and a creaking noise filled the hallway. Loud enough to make me wince. But not loud enough that Callie could hear it in the kitchen. On the contrary, P!NK's 'Raise your glass' echoed through the house. I made a few little steps inside and turned around. There were awards all over the place. First violinist. First pianist. Piano solo. Violin solo. Medals of singing competitions. All from Juilliard. Damn. Why the hell did she waste her time at 'Heartbeat'? There was only one other thing that was way more present in this room. Pictures. I stepped closer. One of them showed definitely Calliope standing in the middle. Though much younger, she was just as beautiful as now, only not so womanly. Mhmm…I was really glad that she got those curves. On her left, that had to be her sister. They had the same eyes. She was slightly thinner than Callie and maybe two or three inches taller. But, how old was that picture anyway? On her right, oh yeah, I would know that face and hair everywhere. Addison. Her best friend, who showed up on set at random times. Another picture showed her father and next to him, a woman that was – without a doubt – her mother. You could replace Callie's dad with any other man. Both daughters got their looks solely from their mother.

I let my eyes wonder through the room – again. Many pictures showed people I didn't know, though Callie was with them on most of them. Judging by her look, it must have been people from Juilliard. A lot of pictures showed her and Addison, or her and Mark, some were from Addison and Mark who looked really close. In one picture was a little girl – those eyes – definitely Calliope. With a microphone in one hand and a Christmas tree in the background. At least she serenaded baby Jesus instead of making it deaf. I couldn't keep the giggle inside. I stopped again in front of a verylarge shelf. It contained a lot of books, mostly without any title. Again curiosity got the better of me and I grabbed one. Oh, no. Diaries. That was going too far, so I put the book back in its place.

What I saw next, it literally stopped the beating of my heart for a moment. "Oh shit", I mumbled.

"There you are", sounded her voice behind me.

I flinched. _Busted_. "I..."

"Breakfast is ready."

'Okay, shedidn't sound mad.' Still, I couldn't take my eyes away from the shelf.

"Found something?"

"Uh hu", I answered and pointed to the DVD-box that was set on the shelf.

"Oh, okay." There was a very audible grin in her voice.

"You've seen all of them?"

"Yep, and not only once."

I gulped. "Calliope…why didn't you tell me?"

"When? When Shonda introduced you those two years ago? 'Hi, know who you are. You were that eager new lawyer in 'The practice''?" She laughed.

"Well, there's been a lot of time since then where you could have mentioned that."

"Arizona, we're actors. So, I knew you before, thought you were hot. What's the big deal?"

"You thought I was hot?", I asked and turned around to face her.

She nodded. "Oh yeah."

"I was so young."

"So? You were still very hot in all those business dresses."

"Maybe I should wear one of those again?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"No, because as cute and hot Jamie Stringer was, the real and adult Arizona is so much better."

"Smooth talker."

"Sometimes", she grinned. "And now, let's eat before the pancakes get cold and the chocolate sauce gets hard."

"Chocolate sauce?", I asked, a beaming smile on my face.

"Of course."

"Why didn't you say that sooner."

**Callie's POV**

"Cal, that was…I don't have any words for that. Honestly. I knew you could sing, but you've been definitely holding out on us all those years. You just over sung all of us while recording 'Chasing Cars', Mark said.

"I think Owen and Bailey were pretty hot on my heels", I smiled. "But thanks."

"For nothing. You earned it."

He could actually act pretty human, almost nice. Unfortunately it was rare because he always had a hard time taming his inner whore.

"You coming to Joe's tonight?"

"Uhm… I don't think so, Mark. I .."

"Cal, come on, I didn't get that much time with you over the last weeks. You were always busy… 'practising'", he said, marking the last word with air quotes.

"Hey, we sure did practice, Mark", I took the wind out of his sails, the smutty grin remained on his face, though.

"Torres, you can tell me a lot. Blondie's always happy, but there have been days when she'd been that happy, Yang was about to vomit. It was the 'I had the best sex of my life all night long' kinda happiness. Those days, both of you had deep dark circles under your eyes that the make-up artist did some overtime preparing you two for the shoots. So, I'd really like to believe you but you and me both know you weren't practising until the crack of dawn."

"Whatever, Sloan."

"Callie. I just miss my best friend. One beer and if you still miss Barbie that much, you can leave", he suggested.

"One condition", I started. "You stop calling her Blondie or Barbie right now. Christina calls her Disney which is still not that nice but according to all her Disney-DVD's… well, understandable. But Blondie and Barbie are no-go's, got it?"

"Ay, ay, Captain Torres!", he said saluting in front of me. "I'll wait outside after work." And with that he left.

"Hi Mark, bye Mark", I heard my angels voice. Two seconds earlier and they'd collided together. "Hi", she said softly , closing the door behind her. "What did Mark want?"

I took a breath before looking her in the eyes. "He asked me out for a beer at Joe's tonight. Actually, he talked me into it."

"Oh…", she huffed.

"If…if you don't want me to go, I can cancel."

"No, it's okay. I just thought…I thought that maybe we could celebrate tonight that my girlfriend knocked everybody off their feet today. And, since we finally don't have to practise anymore…you know I love listening to you singing those songs… but I am so thankful, that I do not have to share you with the piano anymore, unless you play for me, of course."

"Arizona…"

"Calliope, it's okay. Really. I will just ask Teddy if she's up for a movie-night in, or maybe I could clean my apartment. I spent so many nights at your place, I guess my dust has already caught its own dust."

I didn't believe any word she was telling me. It sounded so forced.

She ripped me out of my thoughts with a soft kiss on my lips. "Really, Calliope."

She gave me a smile that I could never resist- not in a million years.

"Okay, listen: I'll go to Joe's, have that one beer Mark asked me to, you do whatever you want and we meet at my place after that. I could bring some take out home with me. Chinese, or Pizza, maybe, or…whatever you want. And when we're home, we celebrate. Deal?"

"Sounds like a plan", she smiled at me, her dimples out on full force.

"Great. You can show me that girlfriend of yours then. Everybody keeps telling me she has a great voice."

"You're a goof", Arizona teased back. Leaning in, she locked her arms behind my neck. "You know, you are amazing, Calliope. When you were recording 'The Story'', I was practically about to jump off the stool and run into the studio. Luckily, Teddy held me back. Still, I wanted to hold and kiss you."

"Hmm?"

"He'll calm down, Calliope. You just have to be patient with him."

"Oh…" It has been that obvious, that I worked through my emotions from the past few weeks with that song? But at the same time, I sang it for her. For my blonde, blue eyed girlfriend. I didn't even know when I had turned from badass to soft, but I think that dimpled smile of Arizona was my kryptonite.

"At least, now I know why you wouldn't let me listen to you singing it before", she said.

"It's been five weeks, Arizona. He's not answering my calls or my emails. Aria says, they are fine, but it's not the same as hearing it from them. I just can't believe, that my love for you-"I was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. "Shonda?"

"Could I talk to you in my office? Both of you?"

"Of course", I answered quickly, though slightly nervous. She was very serious. I'd learned over the past weeks, that Shonda could be really stern when something affected 'Heartbeat' and you were not honest with her.

But since Arizona and I had put all cards on the table, she was nothing but understandable. "What could she want?"

"I have no idea", Arizona answered and grabbed the door handle.

"But no matter what it is, I am with you, cause I was made for you too."

* * *

AN2: I hope you liked it. It was kind of a filler, but yeah...next one will be not like that. Still, I hope you're still with me :D


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: I still don't own anything. **

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**Arizona's POV**

"Have a seat, please", Shonda said. "First, I wanted to congratulate you both. Callie, I knew you would take our breaths away. When this episode goes on air and the whole world will hear you sing, hear what a fantastic singer you are, you're phone will probably ring non-stop. I can tell."

"Thank you", Callie answered politely though shifting nervously in the armchairs on my left side.

"What do you want to talk about, Shonda?" I had this very, very bad feeling.

"Callie, I know this past weeks have not been easy for you. And unfortunately, I know the reason for that. He's still calling this office every day. Nataly keeps on putting him through to me and I just place the receiver on my desk and let him talk as much as he wants to." She smiled at Callie and then at me. "But if I'm not in, my phone forwards every call to one of the producers… and yesterday I was away for about two hours and Nataly called in sick, so, when your father called…"

"Please tell me he didn't do what I think he did."

"I am sorry, Callie. The heads of ABC called me immediately and convened a special meeting."

'That's why she's been late this morning.'

"Just tell us already, Shonda. Let's get it over with", Callie asked.

"I am so sorry, Arizona. But they decided you have to go."

"WHAT?", Callie spat.

I didn't know why, but I stayed calm. I guess I was shocked. I knew later at some point of today, registration would hit me for real. I just got fired.

Shonda was looking solely at me. "They think, it's easier to send your character away, or replace you, or something like that because you're not on the show for such a long time."

I still didn't say anything. I still tried to sort out my thoughts. Callie's father was serious.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Callie rise out of her chair.

"That will not solve the problem, Shonda, not one bit. My father thinks your show – your baby – turned me into a lesbian. For Christ's sake, he thinks you both turned me into a lesbian. It won't change anything if you send Jessica to Africa or freaking Sweden. Did anyone of you, really think this through?"

"Callie", I tried to cut her off but failed. There was no way you could stop a Torres once they started.

"Do you not remember your own storyline? I don't know how they picture that in their heads, but I would say it's more than unlikely that Sara would go back to Eric. Even if it is just for sex. And why should Jessica leave Sara anyway? When she just asked her to marry her after she's healed from the accident. That doesn't make any sense to me."

"So, what do you suggest?", she asked Callie.

"Let me die", Callie answered in a very calm voice.

**Callie's POV**

"_Let me die_", I said without even thinking about any consequences. It was just the first thing that came to my mind.

And even two minutes after the words had left my lips, they made more sense than anything Shonda just told us. Sara would simply not survive the car crash and I would leave this show for good. "Shonda, this is your baby. If you'd just send Jessica away and write a new lover, a new woman, for Sara it would just start all over again. It's my father. And I know my father, who says that he loves me more than anything. Do you want to send or kill off every new girl Sara could fall in love with? Just because my father won't get his head out of his ass? Just because he'll keep terrorizing you?" I was calming down, finally. "I thank you for everything you've done for me, for us. But I think it's better to face the truth rather now than two or three fired actors down the road."

"Calliope, you can't leave. You love this show, your work."

"But I love you more. And I know you love working here even more than I do."

"Calliope..."

"Don't, Arizona, please. Every other way to end this relationship they have would ruin their story. Jessica would never leave after everything they've been through, not even if Sara would push her away. That is just not who she is." I turned to Shonda. "Maybe my father stops if you just let me die."

There was silence for a minute or two. Uncomfortable silence, then Shonda opened her mouth. "You are serious?"

"Yes", I answered with a steady voice.

"Callie, it doesn't matter who of you has to go or who stays. It will be hard anyway."

"Shonda, I am sure about it. You can still hold on to the decision they made and fire Arizona, but then I'd hand in my resignation as well."

"Calliope, what are you talking about? Are you out of your mind?!"

"I am not, Arizona. I think I'm seeing the bigger picture for the first time in years. My father tries to control my life. I'd bet he offered money – and a lot of that – if they kick you out. But it's about time that I don't let my father make my decisions. He can bribe as many people as he wants to, it won't change anything for me. Shonda", I turned around to look at her again. "Let Sara die. Write the most heart wrenching lines for Arizona, because you and me both know, she is that good, brilliant even. Write an ending for them, that will not show one of them leaving because they had another fight about having a baby. You made this love up in your mind, you know how deep their feelings are for each other. None of them would leave this relationship again. They deserve better."

I swallowed down the lump that formed in my throat. "And just because I don't work here anymore, doesn't mean I can't visit, right?", I said to Arizona. "We'll still see each other every day, because I love you, and I'm not leaving you. And maybe Shonda is right and once this episode aired, my phone won't stop ringing", I added with a wink.

There was no way I would just stand here and watch my girlfriend getting fired just because my father thinks he can still rule my life.

**Arizona's POV**

Callie's words were still pretty loud in my head, like a never ending echo. Hence why I was walking up and down the kitchen floor. Callie and Mark left for Joe's right after work. Understandable. After this afternoon and me getting almost fired and then her preventing that by saying she'd leave instead, I guess she needed a drink - or a few. And Mark would give her just that, catch her without even knowing why. We had decided to tell nobody - for now. Callie didn't want that. She didn't want to be the hot topic of gossip and get some looks every time she walked in a room. Pity. Rage. Anger. I had more than enough of that myself, though I knew it was the only reasonable way for the show. When that time was near where we'd finished shooting her last scene, she would tell them. And I would be with her every step of the way.

I poured myself another glass of white wine - my third. That way I would at least be a little tipsy by the time Callie got home completely drunk. The glass in my hand didn't even get the change to touch my lips as I heard the front door closing. I looked up at the clock on the wall. Not even 11pm, she was back early.

"Callie?"

"What are you doing in my house? Where is my daughter?"

"Oh, Mister Torres?" _'Shit!'_

"Where's Calliope?"

"Uhm…" I followed him as he was about to go upstairs. "Mr. Torres, Sir, Calliope is not home. She went out for drinks with a friend."

"A friend?"

"Mark Sloan, Sir. One of our colleagues."

"One of her colleagues, you mean. 'Cause as far as I know, you're not longer employed."

That was a slap that could not have hurt more if his hand had directly met my face. Callie had been right. _'Oh, Calliope.'_ "You're wrong", I blurted out. I couldn't stop myself. Callie was not around to defend herself or our relationship, so I had to stand up to him.

"I don't think so."

"Oh, I know so, Mr. Torres." _'Stop, Arizona, you're going to make it worse. Stop!'_

"Miss…Robbins, right?"

I nodded my response.

"I won't just stand by and watch _my_ Calliope struggle in life because of your influence. I don't know how your parents raised you - or how they didn't for that matter - but in my family, we believe in God and the church. The ways of God are very clear. What you call love, it's a sin in the eyes of God. It's not right. My Calliope will understand that once she's going to church again."

"_Your_ Calliope, Sir? Calliope chose her own path for her life . You as her father, you should support her and not -"

He cut me off. "My wife and I did nothing else but support and love our daughters. But there are limits. And Calliope overstepped one of them. Do you really think, this - you may call it relationship – this farce has a future? Calliope is just confused. This life as an actress with all those gay stylists and producers, they've led Calliope to the wrong way. But my wife and I, we will bring her back. I talked to the heads of this devilish show and I was assured that they would deal with it immediately. And when you can't be around Calliope all day long, she will find her way back in the arms of her family and the church."

"Her influence, daddy?"

"Calliope, you're home?" _'When did she come back?'_

"Obviously. And not for just two minutes. Daddy, what do you want?"

"I wanted to see for myself how you're doing, mija."

"Bullshit, daddy. You wanted to see, if you managed to ruin the only good thing in my life. You bribed ABC so Arizona gets fired. When will you finally learn that money can't buy everything? And you can't definitely ruin my life with that. You are no knight in shining armour that has to save his little girl from the evil witch, daddy."

_'Well, thank you for the comparison, Calliope.'_

"And if God does not want me the way I am, why did he make me like that? God is my saviour, not you, daddy. God sent me Arizona. God gave me a woman that I love and who loves me back. A soul mate who is brave enough to stand up to you, when not even your daughter can find the courage for that. A beautiful, amazing woman who protects the ones she loves like a good man in a storm."

I smirked as she told him exactly the words I once said to her.

"God showed me true love by giving me Arizona. Arizona shows me true love every minute I get to spend with her. Not you, daddy."

"Calliope…", he tried.

"No, papá. Enough is enough. I lost my job today, because of you. Okay, no, that is not true."

And now she would tell him that she'd lost her job because of _me_. I closed my eyes, preparing myself for the second verbal slap in the face.

"I handed in my resignation because of you papá." Her shoulders slumped down.

"That was never my intention, Calliope", he tried to talk himself out of it.

"No. You just tried to get my girlfriend fired. You tried to sabotage my work, dad! You turned your back on me, papá, not the other way around."

I had to admit, I felt kinda useless. On one hand I was really glad, they did not talk in their rapid Spanish, but on the other hand, there wasn't much I could do to help her. I couldn't even stop her rant. I was pretty sure it was good that she let it all out, but if he'd shown up any other day, her words would have been less harsh, less hurting. And maybe she'd remember that I was still there. Now, I was more like a supernumerary in a fight about me.

"I think you should go now, daddy", Callie finally said. She didn't look at him anymore. Her eyes were focused on the floor. She looked defeated.

'_Focus, Arizona. He's going to say something and she needs you.'_

"Come home with me, mi niña."

"No, papá!" Callie walked away.

"Mr. Torres, I think it's for the best if you leave now", I said quietly and carefully.

"Do you really have the audacity to kick me out of my own house?"

"It is not your house, daddy", Callie came back. "And yes, Arizona's telling you to leave, because she's my girlfriend. It is her right, as my girlfriend to protect me, daddy. Whether you fucking approve it or not."

"Calliope, language. I am still your father."

"Then act like one. A father should never disown his daughter for who she loves." And with that said, she pushed him out of the front door, closing said door right in his face.

Silence filled the hallway for a moment, and somehow it felt unbridgeable. "Calliope, I am so sorry", I whispered.

"You are sorry?", she asked. Her voice still a little harsh. "_I_ am sorry, Arizona. I have to apologize for my own father." And finally, the walls broke down, all at once. Tears were spilling from her soulful eyes, rolling down her soft cheeks.

"Come here", I pulled her closer and put my arms around her in a tight embrace. "It will –"

Her heavy sobs interrupted me. "It will not be okay, Arizona. He doesn't need time. I don't have a family anymore."

Her fingers clenched my shirt as she cried relentlessly. And all I could do was holding her in my arms. I felt useless. I had no idea how stubborn one man could be. And with what right he thought he had, to hurt my love that much. She was my heart and he abandoned her without batting an eyelid.

"I'll run you a bath and while you relax, I call and order pizza, okay?", I asked after a while as the sobbing subsided and her breathing evened out. "Come." I pulled her up on her feet and kissed her temple. Her eyes were red and puffy. She was shaking when I led her into the bathroom. "A hot bath will be good for you."

She didn't answer. All she did, was standing there, watching me. But no reaction whatsoever. I stripped her off her leather jacket she was still wearing. She didn't even make an attempt to undress herself and the tub was quickly getting filled with water. "Calliope", I tried but didn't say anything further. I pulled the shirt over her head and unclasped her bra. She flinched. "Do you feel uncomfortable?"

"I'm just cold", she answered.

"You'll warm up pretty fast", I answered. She seemed fragile. Exhausted. I stroke the jeans down her toned legs, pulled off her shoes and socks and finally her pants landed on the pile of clothing. Her underwear followed right after. "Do you want some music?", I asked her. Music was always helping her, but she shook her head. "Okay. Holler away if you need anything. I'm going to order something to eat."

"Can you stay?", she asked suddenly when I was almost through the door.

"Of course. I'll just order our pizza, okay?"

"Okay", she breathed.

"Calliope. Two minutes, promised."

"Okay."

* * *

**AN2: I hope that was the last time we saw Papá Torres like that ;)**

**AN3: Up next: a little Addison and another old 'friend'...yaaay?**

**AN4: I know that there's "A good man in a storm" in almost every story out there, so I cut that one pretty short. Hope you don't mind at all :)**

**AN5: I wish you a pretty good start for the next week. **


	15. Chapter 15

An: Let me tell you this before: don't shoot me ;)

* * *

**Callie's POV**

I entered the studios that became kind of a second home to me over the past six years. Today though, was my last day as an employee at 'Heartbeat'. Deep breaths filled my lungs with the familiar scent of these walls and made a shiver run down my back. My last day.  
I sneaked out of bed pretty early,noticing that I couldn't sleep anymore. I was awake before the first ray of sunlight even had the chance to break through - which was pretty impossible because Seattle was once again covered with heavy clouds. My daily routine would change pretty bad from tomorrow on, the weather – not so much. Though, it was a perfect timing for a funeral, Hollywood loved. But my friends were still in limbo about all that. I felt like a bad liar, but on the other hand, they couldn't have changed anything. I'd made my decision.

"What are you doing up so early and out of bed, Ms. Sleepyhead?"

"Addie?" I turned around to face the owner of that voice.

"Live and in color", Addison laughed and pulled me in a rip crashing embrace.

"What...what are you doing here?"

"I got an invitation to the funeral of my best friend. I just thought, I'd fly in a day early, maybe I can prevent the tragic destiny", she winked at me, trying to make a joke out of it. "Who would have thought I'd ever come back after leaving this show four years ago?"

"How long will you stay?"

"I'm not sure about that. There's nothing waiting for me in LA right now. I could use a little vacation in Seattle."

"Addison", I felt my tears welling up.

"How about you? How are you doing? Aside from that thing with your stupid family, I mean. How are you and Arizona? Where is she anyway?"

"In my bed, I guess."

"Huh?"

"I...I just wanted to have a few minutes on my own before everybody's showing up getting ready for the day."

"Mhmm...I can still remember my last day. But my goodbye was no goodbye forever."

"You know the circumstances."

"Cal", she looked me deep in the eyes. "Just keep in mind that you won't lose your friends because you stop working here. They are still there."

"Yeah. Look at how well that worked for you. Apart from Mark and me, who do you still talk to, Addie?"

"Uhm..."

"Figured."

"But that's a different story, Cal. I moved over to LA, I practically cut off every line tying me to Seattle except of the two of you. And you know it is not as easy as we want it to be to just jump on a plane and spend some free days with your friends, who have work of their own.

I nodded.

"So, Shonda's been making a big secret about how you're going to die...spill any beans for me?"

"Oooh, dramatic! Car crash. Right through the front shield of the car."

"Ooow."

"Yep. But Addie, nobody knows that it's my last day, so..."

"Of course, Cal. No word is gonna leave my lips, I promise."

"Thank you."

"For nothing. Now, tell me, when am I going to officially meet that blonde spitfire you call you girlfriend?"

I glanced over to the clock. "Arizona must arrive in about half an hour, or something. You're going to love her, Addie."

"Oh, I think I will. Still, that's not going to spare her from the 'break her heart and I let Mark break every bone you have'-talk", Addison said dead serious. "Don't look at me like that. I know that Mark is not always the best friend he's supposed to be. Most of the time, he's only interested in the smutty details you are not willing to give away. He even called me because he thought, you told me more about that", Addie laughed. "But, seriously, Cal, I haven't seen you that happy in a very long time. Actually, I haven't ever seen you that happy. And to keep it that way, and to not turn out into another Erica-story-"

"I heard my name?"

"Uh...ah...uh...Erica?" I pinched my forearm. 'Please let that be a dream. Please let me wake up.'

Addison felt me tensing next to her, while giving Erica one of her perfect death glares.

"Erica, what are you doing here?"

"Shonda called me. She said that, when Sara dies, Brooke should get a chance to say goodbye. They were really good friends."

"Well, at least your character has some decency", Addie spat back.

"Callie, do you think we can talk sometime today?", Erica asked, ignoring Addie completely.

"I don't think that is a good idea, Erica", I corrected my posture and tried to relax.

"Does your little girlfriend have any objections when you catch up with old friends?"

"Oh no. She has just some objections against the pure evil", I heard Arizona's voice.

'Okay, what was that? Calliope Torres' private hell?' I wouldn't even be surprised if the floor would part and swallow me right now. And to be honest, I wouldn't even mind right now.

"Hi, I am Arizona Robbins." There was no hint of rage or jealousy in her voice. She even gave Erica the best super magic smile she could muster. But I would have bet, she was boiling under her delicious pale skin.

"Aha", Erica answered.

'Oooh, bad mistake, Erica.'

"If you're going to excuse me, the little girlfriend", she said, pointing to herself, "wants to give her girlfriend a good morning kiss.  
Addison chuckled next to me. Arizona just won a lot of sympathy points. Tons of them, actually.

**Arizona's POV**

"I have no idea why Shonda thought it would be good to call her, honestly, Arizona", Callie started as we entered her locker. "Really, Arizona, I didn't-" I cut her off with a sensual kiss.

"Did I say something like that, Calliope?", I asked, letting go of her luscious lips. "Good morning."

"Ugh...good morning", Callie answered.

"I was a little worried when I woke up and you were not in bed with me and I couldn't find you anywhere else." It was nothing new to me, waking up in the middle of the night or at the verge of dawn and Callie's side of bed was cold. Most of the time I found her sitting in front of her piano, though. One night, she was in her old room. Photo albums scattered all around on the floor. I couldn't even imagine what she was going through. What do you do when the family that's supposed to love you unconditionally, disowns you for who you are? But, I knew what it felt like to miss a part of that family.

"I just needed a little time for myself. Today's my last day, Arizona", she whispered.

"I know. But, I would have understand that, Calliope."

"It wasn't even planned. I...I just couldn't sleep anymore, so I thought, why not come here."

"To run straight in the arms of the Wicked Witch of the West?"

"Where did you get that from?" she asked, laughing as I mentioned Erica's nickname.

"Yang. Those two didn't get along that well, huh?"

"Not even one bit. Blood enemies. I don't even know why."  
"Oh, I think I know why."

Callie chuckled. "You're jealous."

"Maybe", I answered. Maybe...understatement of the century. It was not about not trusting Calliope. It was just that I heard their story quite some times, including Callie's version, and it always ended the same. With Erica breaking Callie. And in my opinion, someone like that doesn't deserve a second chance. "Ready to tell them that it's you last day today?", I asked.

Callie lowered her gaze. "To be honest, I thought I'd just shoot my scenes today and go home in the evening and just not come back tomorrow..."

"Uhm, no Calliope, that is so not going to happen. They are your friends and they deserve to hear that from you."

Calliope was speechless – a pretty rare moment, I had to use that to my advantage. "It is one thing not to tell them because you don't want their sympathy. But it's a whole different thing to just leave without telling them. You know what that feels like." It was a low blow to bring Erica into the mix – not so nice.

"Arizona...", she whined.

"No, Calliope. I had to stand by and watch you shut me out and hide behind your music over the last few weeks. I felt it every time you got out of bed at night and not coming back for hours. I heard you crying at night and I hoped that you would know that I was there for you. So, now, I'm going to tell you what you're going to do. You'll go out there and tell your friends that Sara will die today. You don't have to tell them the real reason, but you should at least tell them that it's your last day."

"You...you're right, I guess", she said after thinking about my words for a minute. This silence was really freaking me out. "You're going to be there with me, right?"

"Of course", I let out a relieved breath. "As long as you want me to."

"Forever", she grinned.

"I think, I can live with that." We left her locker and went back on set. I was holding her hand tight in mine, giving her kinda the assurance that I was still there.

Erica was standing pretty much alone by the coffee maker. The rest of the team was gathered around Addison.

"Torres", Mark said as he caught a glimpse of us walking in. "Torres, please tell me Satan is lying."

"What do you mean, Mark?", Callie asked.

"You're leaving?" I now stood right in front of her.

Ugh. I didn't even know if I should be happy about the fact that Callie would not need to tell them herself, or if I should just kill Erica.

All the color faded from Callie's face. Her hands began to shake. "I don't want to", she whispered and let go of my hand. The next moment I saw her wrapped up in a tight embrace with her best friend, crying heavily.

* * *

"So...Erica", I exhaled audible. The day went on better than I had expected. Of course everybody had been shocked about Sara's death – especially Mark and Teddy, who on top of everything where pretty mad that we haven't told them sooner – but the preparations for Callie's farewell party were running at full speed. Addison took all the matters for that in her own hands and just let everyone swear to not tell Callie. I didn't have a problem with that part as long as my girlfriend wouldn't spend some quality time alone with Little Grey. That girl couldn't keep a secret to save her own life. But other than that, the redhead had reassured me, that I didn't have to worry about anything else.

Hence me standing here in the middle of Callie's kitchen, still waiting for a reaction from her about Erica being in Seattle – showing up on set. But she just sat there on one of the stools, a cup of hot liquid in her hands.

"Yeah", she sighed. "Not who I wanted to see on my last day." She sipped her tea.

"You...do you know for how long she's staying?", I asked.

"I didn't even talk that much to her, Arizona. Because every time she opened her mouth, every sentence that came out was about 'us'. 'Us' as in her and me. How good we would have been together. How good we still would be for each other."

Frankly, that thought shook me to my core and there was nothing I could do about that.

"But this 'us' was over a long time ago. And if you really take a look at it, there's never been this 'us'." She looked at me and I instantly melted in those big and honest brown eyes. "I've never felt for her – or anyone - what I am feeling for you, 'Zona."

My heart swell as her words sank in. "And...you don't have to...maybe...close that chapter? Have one last talk with her, or something?"

"No", she answered immediately.

"How can you be so sure about that?" And now it was here. Sometimes my insecurity about, well...'us', got the better of me. I had learned that it was okay to be afraid of some things – from time to time.

"Because I closed that chapter as a certain blonde told me that she loves me. That blonde calls me her girlfriend ever since. And she lets every other woman fade away, you know?" She pulled me in so I was standing between her legs, while she placed her teacup on the kitchen counter.

"Is that so?", I asked innocently, snaking my arms around her neck.

"Mhmm", Callie answered. Her face was mere inches away from my neck when she inhaled deeply. "You smell so good." As our lips finally met in a hungry kiss that familiar feeling of addiction came over me. Her full, soft lips could be so gentle against my own and the next second, they could make me completely dizzy, lightheaded even. Her tongue peaked out and grazed my bottom lip. A silent request for more. I complied and parted my lips in an instant, welcoming her tongue in my warm mouth. We both moaned into the kiss.  
Callie's hand grabbed my hips and she pulled me impossibly closer to her. Willingly, I pressed my body into hers as I tangled my fingers in her dark raven locks.

Before I could deepen the kiss though, she let go of my lips and I grumbled immediately about the distance she build between us.  
"What do you think about moving this to the bedroom?", she asked, a seductive smile around her mouth.  
I bit my bottom lip as a saw the eyes in front of me that had turned almost black with want and lust.

* * *

AN2: So...Erica...

AN3: Up next: a little sexy time :)


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: So, here we go with the sexy time and I really hope I don't suck at that. Because, as you know, english is not my first language.**

* * *

**Callie's POV**

As soon as we entered the bedroom, kissing, Arizona had me pressed against the door, closing the door with this action. "Arizona", I breathed. Her lips crashed against mine again. Her hands were dancing over my body, longing for more contact. I leaned my head against the wood and as Arizona's lips found my pulse point and she began to suck it lightly, I was for the first time able to forget what day today was. I was pretty sure she would leave her mark on my neck, as her teeth softly nibbled on the first layer of skin. But honestly, I couldn't care less at that moment. Having Arizona doing those things to me was worth every bite, every mark.

"Bed", I managed pushing her slightly backwards and away from me. We almost tumbled and stumbled over our own feet until Arizona stopped abruptly as her legs hit the edge of the bed. I grinned mischievously and with a light push, Arizona landed on her back on the mattress.

"Huh? Do you seriously think you're going to be on top tonight?"  
"I do not think, I know so", I answered and shoved my hand under her top. Her muscles twitched at the first contact. My fingers quickly made their way to perfect smooth breasts and I kneaded them softly through the fabric of her bra until I felt her nipples pebble under my touch. "You're wearing definitely too much", I whispered before tugging the shirt over her head and unclasping her bra. Both articles of clothing were thrown on the floor. "Mhmm...much better." I pressed her onto the mattress and straddled her. As our tongues were dueling for dominance in a pretty hot battle, my fingers were softly caressing her pale skin under me. I tried to stay in control of my body and not give in to her. Arizona knew which buttons to push and how to kiss me to distract me enough for me not knowing which way was up and which way was down.

Her body was already writhing under me as I pushed my thigh between her legs, still kissing her. A moan of pure lust erupted immediately from her pink soft lips. With a smugly grin on my face, I unbuttoned her pants very slowly to make sure she'd truly feel it. "Calliope", she moaned against my lips. Her breath pretty ticklish against my skin.

I let go of her lips and shimmied a little down her body. Greedy for more I closed my mouth around the nipple of her left breast, licking over the hardened peak excruciatingly slow. It aroused a little more under my ministrations, so I gave it a little more attention, while my hand massaged the other breast in its palm, drawing lazy patterns over the velvety skin of her chest with my fingers and thumb.

When I couldn't handle it anymore I leaned back and sat down on my own heels. I took a moment to take in the sight before me, to memorize every inch of her now heavy panting chest. Arizona was so beautiful, I was hypnotized by her. I shook my head to get rid of the fog that clouded my mind. I undressed completely in a hurry and tucked off Arizona's pants and panties in one swift motion. We both moaned at the first contact of naked skin on naked skin. I could feel her arousal at my thigh already and it made me even more wet. Judging by the smile on her face, she could feel it too.

"Goooddd, Calliope", came her voice pressed against my throat as I licked her earlobe, sucking it gently into my mouth. Slowly I kissed my way down her neck to her collarbone. My lips fondled a little bit with her breasts before making their way further down her body, kissing every inch of her abdomen I could reach. I let my tongue peak out and circle her navel on my way to where she wanted me most. When I buried my had between those toned thighs, I could already smell her. It was undeniable my Arizona, her scent, that turned on all my senses.

Without waiting, I took the swollen nerve end in my mouth and sucked on it. I heard her groaning in anticipation and let go of her clit for a moment. Not too long though, only to gather some more of her juices, licking a track from her entry to the hard bundle of nerves. "Mhmm", I hummed. The vibrations sending a new wave of pleasure through her body. I licked over the hot wet pearl a couple of times. She bucked her hips against my mouth, but I didn't want to give her what she was craving for – not yet.

I tasted her again in my mouth and let her scent make me go crazy for one last time before I kissed my way back up her body. Reaching her face, I whispered against her swollen pink lips: "I love you, Arizona." And then I slowly pushed my index- and middle finger inside her hot cavern. I watched in awe as my girlfriend pushed her head into the pillows beneath her, as I used my thigh against my hand for more leverage to get more pressure, more power behind my thrusts. Nothing of that was quick or simply fucking to get her off. I wanted to make love to her. It was not about sex. I wanted to let her know what I was feeling for her.

"Calliope...faster", she begged, her words barely reaching my mind.

I was completely lost in her moves, her moans and gasps. I didn't even know how much time passed until I followed her request, thrusting into her faster and a little harder.

"Oh God, yes!", she moaned. "More, Calliope, more. Harder!"

Again, I complied and buried my fingers deeper inside of her.

Arizona opened her eyes and looked at me with her eyes a very deep shade of blue. For a moment I got so distracted, that I didn't feel her move until I felt two slender fingers entering me. "Together", she breathed, adjusting her moves to mine. She bent her legs and put her feet on the mattress, giving me something to thrust against every time I sank down onto her fingers.

"Arizona", I screamed, closing my eyes. She stroke my inner walls so good and intensive that I couldn't hold back my voice from getting louder. I stepped up the pace once again as I began riding her fingers faster as well. Felling the first waves of my orgasm starting in the pit of my stomach, I curled my fingers inside her, hitting that sweet spot within her every so often.

I opened my eyes only to see Arizona trying to say something as her words got stuck in her throat as she tumbled over the edge with a silent scream, her hips jerking off the bed. I followed soon after. Her muscles spasmed around my fingers and I felt new liquid in my palm. I grinned. Sometimes she came so hard that it was a real push for my ego.

Slowly I stilled my movements, slipping my fingers out of her, I collapsed on top of theworn out body of a heavy breathing blonde.

"Wow." She got out between her pants.

"Yeah...wow."

**Arizona's POV**

"Addison!"

"Oh, good morning, Arizona. Or...should I wish you a good night? You look like you are in the need of a couple of hours sleep."

'Was it that obvious?' "Uhm..."  
"Haha let me guess: Callie's compensating her frustration about losing her job with sex – and a lot of that. And because she's got nothing to do all day long except of watching some TV, she's like an energizer bunny when you get home in the evening?"

I narrowed my eyes and tried to hold back the blood from flooding to my cheeks. When I opened my eyes, I saw a shit eating grin on Addison's face.

"Some things just never change", Addison laughed.

"It's not that I'm complaining about that, really. Because, hands down, I love sex. And sex with Callie is..."  
"Too much information", Addison interrupted.

"What I am trying to say: I need my sleep. Her last day was two days ago and every thought she has seems to be about sex. I kinda expected that she would snap. Or, maybe that she would lock herself up in her piano room and that I wouldn't get to hear anything except some sound from that piano for days. And I think I could have lived with that. It would not have been perfect, but this is what makes her who she is right? Her music and the passion she has for it. But there is no music. She's not humming like she used to. And when I ask her what she did all day long, she only shrugs her shoulders and says 'nothing'.

"What would you say if I'll take care of our little nightingale for the next few days? I'll be in Seattle for a couple of days, but when my scenes are done I am free like a bird to do whatever I want."

"Seriously? You'd do that?"  
"I don't have any other plans anyway. Callie's my best friend and I think I can use some quality time with her, seeing that we are not miles apart right now, right?"  
I didn't answer.

"Arizona, you should not worry so much about her. She lost her family and her job. She just needs some time. And believe me, it's not that bad if she's still that obsessed about sex. It gets bad when she doesn't jump your bones anymore", Addison said and laughed as my eyes widened in fear.

"Everything's ready for tonight?"

"Of course. Joe was not that pleased, as I said that he should close his bar for any other guests than us, but I think deep inside he'd do it in a heartbeat for every one of us. So, you don't have to do anything except for making sure that Callie shows up at Joe's around 8pm. But I think that should not be a problem for you, huh?"  
"No, I think, I can do that", I answered, a smirk playing on my lips as I took a look at the clock. "Addison, I have to go. I have to run some errands before I headed over to her place. I'll see you tonight!" I shouted over my shoulder as I was half way out of the studio. There were days when I actually hated my job. Irregular hours. Night shots. Overtime because the producers were not happy with our work. Today though, today was a good day. I finished for today and it was not even past noon. On top of that, Shonda had told me some – I assume – good news and she gave me a box full of presents for Callie.

* * *

A week ago, Callie had officially given me a spare key to her house. That way, I could come and go as I wanted without the need for her to be at home all the time. And frankly, since we didn't take a ride together back from the studios, it was more than just a gift.

As I stepped into the house, surprisingly I was not welcomed by TV-sounds coming from the living room. And at first I thought, Callie left the house. Groceries, shopping, taking a walk. I don't know. But then I heard it. The first note of her wonderful piano. I closed my eyes immediately and waited in anticipationwhether it would stay this way. One single note. I counted in my head. Ten seconds past. Fifteen. Twenty. I carefully put the box on the floor and walked over to the closed door.

The next sound reached my ear but faded away just as fast as it came up. Silence. Until a few days ago, I hadn't known how nerve-racking silence could be. But the sad truth was, that I was so used to hear Calliope's voice, that this silence was eating me alive. The same melody filled the room Callie was in for the second time now, but it stopped ever time at the same point. I searched my head for that melody, when I had heard it before sometime...somewhere. Useless. Callie's repertoire of songs was way ahead of mine.

I leaned against the door frame and waited again. Inside of me, everything screamed to go in, but I knew better. Callie had to go through that and she was doing it in her own pace. It was her way of coping. She was living her music and let go of her feelings. I listened up as the sound echoed through the door again. This time though, she did not stop, but repeated the same set of notes all over again: "Finally," I breathed, as I heard her voice.

"_I wait for the postman to bring me a letter_

_I wait for the good Lord to make me feel better_

_And I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders_

_A family in crisis that only grows older_

_Why'd you have to go"_

Her father

"_Why'd you have to go"_

Her mother.

"_Why'd you have to go"_

Her whole family. I tried to keep myself together, but Callie's words conveyed so much pain.

"_Daughter to father, daughter to father_

_I am broken but I am hoping_

_Daughter to father, daughter to father_

_I am crying, a part of me is dying and_

_These are, these are_

_The confessions of a broken heart"_

"Oh, Calliope..."

"_I love you,_

_I love you,_

_I love you,_

_I..._

_I love you"_

Her voice got louder with every verse.

"_Daughter to father, daughter to father_

_I am broken but I am hoping_

_Daughter to father, daughter to father_

_Tell me the truth..._

_Did you ever love me?_

_Did you ever love me?!"_

She practically screamed her pain away, freeing her soul.

"_These are..._

_The confessions...of a broken heart"_

I quietly opened the door to the piano room. "Callie" I whispered. She seemed to only notice me now. She turned her head away from me in an instant, but it was too late. I had already seen the tears in her eyes. "It's okay", I said, walking over to her. I stood next to her and pressed her face against my belly. My hands stroke softly through her dark hair as her sobs and sighs turned even louder. She wasn't broken, though. She'd sang it, but she wasn't. She was far from being broken, but she wasn't as strong as she pretended to be as well. Could you blame her? Your family is supposed to support you. Family means, that nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten. And if you lose that supporting system – if your family walks away from you – you'll feel defeated.

"It is okay", I repeated. "_You know there's no need to hide away"_, I sang softly, as she wanted to turn away again. "_You know I tell the truth." _I waited for a moment. "_We are just the same."_ I sat down next to her and let her bury her face against my shoulder and cry some more. "_I can feel everything you do. Hear everything you say. Even when you're miles away. Cause I am me, the universe and you."_ Her tears did not dry up, so I just held her firmly in my arms and I would do my best and try to protect her until her family would come to their senses. "I'm here for you. You are not alone."

"I know", she whispered and detached herself from the embrace. She wiped the tears away from her cheeks with her palms, but they were instantly replaced by new teardrops. "I know."

* * *

**AN2: Songs used in the chapter: Universe and U (as if you'd not know this) and Confessions of a broken heart.**

**AN3: To two of my lovely readers/reviewers: I'll get to the Erica part in the next chapter or the one after that. I'm in the middle of translating, so, no worries :)**

**AN4: I still hope you liked it :)**


	17. Chapter 17

AN: I don't own the characters. All rights belong to Shondaland and who know who else. I just own my crazy mind :)

And now, have fun with chapter 17.

* * *

**Callie's POV**

"I had a nice chat with Shonda today, Calliope."  
"Oh...?" The last talks I had with her did not necessary turn out that good in the end.

"It was a good chat, Callie. She'd told me to tell you, that you are not completely off the hook, yet."  
I looked at her quizzically. If I remember correctly – and I did, because my brain was able to remember things for two days – Sara took her last breath in one of the rooms of the ICU.

"Is Sara supposed to haunt Jessica in her dreams? Please don't tell me she's going to do that to give them some additional on screen time."  
"Ghost sex would be funny – again...", she joked. "No, seriously. ABC wants to drag you from one morning show to the other to promote your last episode without saying it is in fact your last. And they say you are the best to do that. And honestly, they are right."  
"Uhm, I really hope Shonda put her foot down on that. Because you and me both know, that public speaking and I, we don't like each other." I remembered our press conference as if it just happened yesterday.

"I don't think you can compare these two things", Arizona said.

"Same difference", I countered, but Arizona just shook her head, got up and left me sittingthere alone. A minute later she came back though, balancing a box in her hands.

"Shonda gave me that this morning."  
"What's with that box?"

"Well, why don't you open it?", Arizona asked smiling, placing it next to me.

"Ooh", it came out as a whisper. The lump forming in my throat got bigger and thicker the more I could see what was inside of that box. My lab coat – Sara's lab coat. "Ooh, I remember that scene", I said, picking up a cast the size for a child I had to sign and my stethoscope. I knew it was mine, because mine was the only dark blue one – almost black – at 'Heartbeat'

"I remember that scene too. It was our first one together. You had to put that cast on a little girl and when she asked Sara to sign it for her, you signed the first two with Callie instead of Sara." She smiled. "Shonda thought you'd like to have those as a memory of the last six years, even though you didn't need that one most of the time, seeing that you were an Ortho-Goddess."  
"Right", I laughed. Still, I liked having one too. It was in fact always something I appreciated about that show. Shonda's characters were very well thought through, they were not just hollow shells of beauty. Arizona, Jessica, the blonde pediatric surgeon who had a bear and an ape sewed to her lab coat. She had a pink stethoscope and wore _heelies _at work. An advocate for the kids, through and through. God, I was going to seriously miss that. "So, tell me about the plans they have for me", I changed the topic.

"Oh, uhm, Shonda didn't tell me that much. Only that you should accompany Addison on her flight back to LA and that's where its starts. "  
"Huh? Okay. Cool. I mean, it's going to be fun, right? But, wait a second, _I_ am supposed to do that alone? Arizona?"

She nodded in response.

"No. No such luck. Never. Not in a million years."

She giggled.

"That is not funny, Arizona."  
"I think it is."  
"I think it's not!"

"Insecurity is a cute part of you."

"Cute?", I said, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded again.

"Cute. Did you seriously just call me cute?"  
"Yes, Calliope, I did call you that.

Okay, she was serious. "Take it back. Now."

"Ha! No, I won't."

"Yes, you will."  
"Uh uh", she said, shaking her head, making blonde tresses fly around her face.

"I'll give you cute", I mumbled and stood up. With a few quick steps I was in front of her and pushed her up against the wall. "Cute?"  
A cheeky grin appeared on her lips.

"Cute means innocent. Girls are innocent and cute. Girls", I took a deep breath, "would never do that." I pressed my body against hers and connected our lips harder than I normally did.

"Oh God", she moaned.

I used that to my advantage and slipped my tongue into her mouth to massage her well skilled muscle. This kiss was everything but innocent or sweet. I pushed my thigh up and between her legs until it collided with her center. It was easy for me to keep the upper hand in moments like that.

As her legs were about to give in, I stepped back. We were both breathing pretty heavy. Arizona even had to hold herself upright by planting her palms against the walls.

"And now you tell me again, that I am cute!", is said, grinned and left for the kitchen.

**Arizona's POV**

My body was on fire! The blood was rushing through my veins like there was no tomorrow. From zero to hundred in less than two seconds with Calliope Torres. The other way around needed definitely more time. That woman would be the death of me. I tried to even out my breathing and get my heart rate back to normal again. It took me a good five minutes to do that, but finally I gained the control of the muscles in my legs back and I was able to walk without my knees getting weak again.

"You are not playing fair!", I pouted as I walked into the kitchen as well.

"You started it."  
"So? Are you telling me that I can't think you are cute some times?"

She raised her eyebrow. A sign that we were not on the same level.

"Well?"  
"You are calling this", her hands wandered over her torso, roaming her godly curves in their ways, "cute?"

"Uhm...", I swallowed hard. "I..."  
"Well?", she repeated my own question.

I gathered my thoughts before I could come up with a coherent answer. "I think I said, that your insecurity was cute. Your body...is..."  
"Yes?"  
"God, Calliope." I practically jumped her body and crashed our lips together in a hot dance. The kiss heated up pretty fast, but before I could lose my composure, I lightly bit her bottom lip. Lightly, but still demanding.

"Arizona", she breathed.

I made a few steps backwards. "Calliope", I started and took a quick glance at the clock. "You should get ready."  
"Get ready? Get ready for what?"  
"We're going out tonight. Joe's."  
"Arizona, I'm really not in the mood of getting crowded tonight."  
"Mhmm, I thought you'd say that. But who will save me from all the glances of all those men? And the flirting? Because I'm most definitely going to wear that new black, short, bareback dress I bought last week.

'Game, set and match.'

Callie shook her head to get rid of her not so innocent thoughts. Not two seconds later she rushed past me, heading for the stairs.

I couldn't hold back the chuckle that erupted from my lips. Sometimes I just knew how to manipulate her.

**General POV**

Getting ready at my apartment. See you at Joe's at eight – sharp. I u. - A

"Seriously?", Callie mumbled under her breath, staring at her reflection of the bathroom mirror. She had not heard her cellphone because she had been under the shower. "Vibration mode my ass", she'd cursed, unmuting her mobile phone. And obviously she didn't even notice that Arizona had left the house. "Argh", she blurted. Wrapped up in a big red towel she left the bathroom and walked into her bedroom. She opened the large doors to her – for one person definitely too big - walk-in closet. Arizona's clothes would find a place in here too and still both of them could shop for a lot more. But no, it was too early for that. Way too early.

Her iPod in the docking station shuffled once again through her play list, making Callie smile in an instant and starting to sing along: "_Girl you got me tripping on sunshine. God knows you just made my day. Since you came around, no. I just can't slow down, no. I wanna see you walk in my way." _And just as the last words left her lips, the melody changed again. But it wasn't the next song. It was another sound coming from her cell phone on one of the nightstands. "Wha-?" Papa don't preach... 'Oh no...' She rushed over to where her phone was connected to the charger. "Papá...", she breathed as she picked up the phone.

"Calliope.

"Papá", she said again, tears filling her eyes.

Her father didn't say anything. He sighed. She was still his little girls, his daughter. "Calliope, how are you?"

Callie exhaled a breath of relieve. "Papá." Her voice sounded cracked and thick with tears. Could it be that Arizona was right? That her family – correction – her parents had finally come around? Was she allowed to hope?

"Come home, Calliope. We miss you."

Callie stopped dead in her tracks.

"Come home, mija." It sounded more like a plea than a command. "Do you still remember Miguel? You spent so much time together when you were kids. He's a doctor now and just opened up his own office. Calliope", he paused for a moment, "you should meet again."

"Papá! That...you...you can't be serious!"

"Calliope!", he raised his stern voice. "Pay attention to how you speak to your father! I am not one of your lousy co-workers. I raised you better!"

"You raised me better? Daddy, you taught me not to judge other people for how they live their life. Not by their looks. Not by the color of their skin. Not by their religion. You told me, we are all the same. You always supported me, Papá and I am truly thankful for that. But I don't need that support anymore, acceptance would be enough for now. And with that I mean that I need you to acknowledge my relationship with Arizona. The relationship with the woman I love. When did you ever hear me saying those words? Willingly? Have you ever seen me choosing another person over my family before? That I am so sure about something that I don't care about the consequences? Daddy, you raised me and you showed me what is wrong and what is right. But you were also the one who told me that I would always take the easy way out when things get rough. And daddy, you were right." 'Wow, that didn't go so bad, right?', Callie thought. But before Carlos Torres could say one word, she continued with her little speech. "I'm choosing my own way now, Daddy. No matter how hard it is going to be. And there's only one thing I need to know from you, daddy. Can you accept that I am in love with a woman?" She prepared herself for almost everything. For a moral lecture. Maybe for a telling-off. Maybe he'd just hang up the phone.

Callie could hear some rustling on the other end of the line and suddenly there was silence for a few seconds until she heard the voice of her mother. "Calliope, if you want to live your life in sin, so be it. It hurts me to know that I will not be able to welcome both of my children at heaven's door_,_ but it is not in my hands anymore." And then, just like that, the line went dead.

Callie leaned back. With the wall in her back, she cooled her bottled up energy back down to normal. She could have cried, but today she felt too strong to cry again because of her parents. She'd just stand up to her father again. Alone. Without Arizona. For Arizona. For the woman she was head over heels in love with. For the one she loved more than anybody before. More than every George or Erica that could possibly exist in this world. She felt good. As if someone had just lifted all the weight of her shoulders. Her family was not able to accept her for who she was. They cut her off. So, Callie cut them off. It was as simple as that, right?

* * *

"Don't worry, she'll show", Arizona reassured the redhead. It was only five past eight and Addison was already going to panic. But thinking about the traffic in Seattle, five minutes were really not uncommon. And certainly no doom.

"Are you sure? I mean, it was your only task."

"Addison, believe me." And in the same second the doors to Joe's swung open and in walked a hot Latina. Arizona had the feeling as if someone had just ripped her out of this world. She didn't even know where to look first. Calliope looked breathtakingly stunning. She'd straightened out her curly hair but it still fell loose around her shoulders. Everyone turned around instantly. Of course, it was her party, but something was different about her. Arizona didn't know what, but it was not her priority to find that out now. She got lost in Callie's brown eyes that got a very smokylook because of the dark eye-shadow. Her eyes focused on the full lips of her girlfriend for a few seconds, until she let them wander further down her body. Callie was dressed in a short black dress as well. In a _pretty_ short black dress for that matter. Shorter than her own. Oh, those legs. Arizona gathered her thoughts and told her legs to start moving.

"Uhm...hi", she whispered and took Callie's hand in her own.

"What...?" While Arizona had been busy ogling her girlfriend, Callie had been busy taking in the sight before her. There were so many people and to her surprise, she knew all of them.

"Surprise", Arizona whispered and kissed Callie with such fierce, that the brunette stumbled backwards.

As her hand touched the bare skin of Arizona's back, she sucked in a breath and therefore interrupted the kiss. They broke apart, filling their lungs with much needed air.

"Now, everybody back up, it's my turn. I am her best friend after all", Addison pushed past Mark and Cristina. "You could have been on time for you own party, Callie Torres", the redhead teased and pulled her best friend in a tight embrace. "We will have so much fun together when we are in LA."  
Callie just nodded. She didn't quite get everything that was happening around her. Everyone was there. Meredith and Derek. Cristina and Owen who finally weren't denying their feelings for each other any longer. Mark was telling jokes to Lexie and Teddy. Miranda. Addison. The three camera assistants Michael, John and Sam. The man who checked the microphones for every shoot, even after almost six years Callie was not able to say his name. Her tongue just wasn't made for the Czech language. Everyone she'd gotten to know over the past years was there. Tears gathered behind her eyelids and there was nothing she could do about that. But those were good tears. Happy tears.

"Callie, are you okay?", Arizona asked, squeezing the hand of her girlfriend.

The Latina simply nodded in response. It was good. It was better than good. It was perfect.

"Hey Joe. Another round of Tequila for everyone. And make it a double shot for Yang!" Mark shouted and made Callie smile about that. Her whole body was laughing. God, she would miss that group.

* * *

"Karaoke", Cristina Yang shouted. "And more Tequila for everyone!" The petite Asian Woman waved at the owner of the bar, Joe. "And get that thing here to make some noise, Joe."  
"Karaoke with Callie and Owen? Cristina, you are drunk", Lexie said, getting nods of agreement from Meredith and Addison.

"Of course I am drunk. Otherwise that word would not even leave my mouth, no matter who was around", she stated and poured another two shots of Tequila down her throat.

Callie and Arizona were not paying attention to what was happening around them and what Cristina was saying. Blue and brown eyes were so lost in each other, it would take an explosion to break them apart.

"Hey, Torres! Blondie!", Mark yelled while walking up to them.

Callie gave him a death glare at hearing him calling Arizona Blondie again.

"Sorry, Arizona."

Arizona herself just grinned. Marks nicknames didn't bother her as much as Callie. But if he was practically undressing her girlfriend with his eyes, she could almost kill him. She tried to not let it get to her so much, though, counted in her head to ten to stop herself from snapping.

"What's up, Mark?"  
"Karaoke?"  
"What?"  
"Mark pointed at the music box. "Yang's idea."  
"Cristina?", Callie asked, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"Okay...maybe it was the idea of all the Tequila that's running through her system. But Yang actually said the words."  
Arizona smiled. "That means I have to let you go and claim the stage, right?" She leaned in, resting her head on Callie's shoulder and her hand caressed the Latina's back softly.

"Yeah, in your dreams. Every stage and me, we are no friends."  
"Come on Cal. We know already that you can sing."  
"Yes, in a studio. Horses could not drag me onto that stage, Lord, on any stage of the world for that matter."

"Too bad", Arizona whispered softly into the brunette's ear.

"Hey. You are not allowed to complain. I sang more than en..."...ough for you, I wanted to say but the words got stuck in my throat.

"Callie, what's wrong?" The blonde followed the stare of her girlfriend and not even five seconds later every muscle in her body stiffened. Callie felt fingernails digging into the skin of her back. Just a little harder and she was sure Arizona would leave crescent marks.

"What is she doing here?", Arizona asked through clenched teeth. Callie had reassured her, that this thing was over and that she was more than done with it. Still, the devil had just entered the bar.

Mark turned around now. "Hahn?"  
"Callie was still petrified. A pillar of salt would hardly be more immobile. "Callie", Arizona tried. Nothing. "Calliope", she said this time. Still nothing. "Calliope Iphegenia Torres!" That worked. As if someone had pushed a button Callie grasped for air for the first time and her head snapped in Arizona's direction. Had her girlfriend seriously dared to utter her middle name? Loud? In front of everybody? _Suicidal much?_

"Iphegenia?", Mark laughed.

"Don't even dare to say that again", Callie said, narrowing her eyes. She would have finished her threat, but before she had even the possibility to think it through, Erica was standing right behind Mark.

"Hi Cal."  
Arizona studied the unwanted guest from head to toe.

"Erica", Callie answered. Her voice as cold as ice. "What are you doing here?"  
"I want to talk to you."  
"No."  
"Callie."  
"I said no, Erica. You can't just waltz in here and pretend that nothing happened." And now it bubbled up. Her rage. When Erica made a step towards Callie, the Latina stopped the intruder with her hand that collided a little roughly with the chest of the evil witch. "You made your decision when you walked away. And frankly, I would appreciate it, if you would just go back to where you came from."  
Arizona couldn't help herself. Something about Callie was different but she couldn't put her finger on it, yet. But, she was different. More confident, shining from her inside. And it was beyond hot. She shook her head to clear her mind from the inappropriate thoughts and to get her focus back on the fiery Latina next to her. Callie was like fire. Her temper drew everybody's attention to the group of four. Probably, the male guests were hoping and wishing for a showdown.

"Callie, we were so good together." The blonde woman with the icy blue eyes raised her hands and put one of them on top of Callie's that was still pressed to the blondes chest, holding both women an arm's length away. "Together we are an unbeatable team and you know that, Callie."

"No, Erica, we are not. Arizona and I, we are invincible together. Unstoppable. She makes me strong. You always tried to make me small. I was never enough for you. I was not enough of a lesbian for you as you wanted me to be. I wasn't sure enough to make _us _public as you wanted me to. I was too naive for you."  
"Callie, I made a mistake, okay? But I always wanted what was best for you, for us. And I wanted everybody to know about us because to me, we were pretty serious."  
"A mistake? Erica, pouring salt in your coffee instead of sugar, that is a mistake. Turn left although the right direction would be right, that is a mistake. But, to leave without saying goodbye to your friends, Erica, that is not a mistake. That.. I didn't deserve that, Erica."  
'That's it Callie. Tell her what you think about her', Arizona thought, quietly cheering for her girlfriend. Everything around her seemed to be in a blur.

"Your behavior was...Jesus, I can't even find the words for what it was. When you left, you thought I wasn't worth an explanation or that I didn't deserve that and now I don't want it anymore. Just go, Erica."  
"Callie, I love you."  
Two pairs of blue eyes met and focused on each other. Callie's look flicked between Erica and Arizona. What a difference there could be between blue eyes and blue eyes. There was no denying that Callie had some kind of a type, but Arizona's eyes were so much warmer, richer. A smile spread out across her lips and she squeezed her girlfriends hand. That little gesture of love distracted Arizona a few seconds too much and Erica saw her chance. Without hesitating too long, she grabbed Callie's face and kissed the brunette hard and demanding. Forced her tongue between the Latina's lips.

Arizona didn't know how much time really passed by, but it felt like hours until she felt Callie finally react.

* * *

AN2: Up next: music :)

AN3: The b**** will leave for good, I promise.

AN4: Thanks to my lovely beta! This story would not exist in English if it wasn't for her help.


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Everything that is like **this** is Arizona singing. _This_ is Callie singing and _**this **_is both of them singing together.

AN2: I sure as hell don't own the lyrics, the characters or anything else.

* * *

**Callie's POV**

Lips. Lips on my lips. But it was the wrong pair of lips. 'React! Damn Callie, do something. Push her away. Arms, move. Now!' The synapses in my brain linked way to slow for my own liking. 'Arizona.' Finally, I felt my commands reach my muscles moved and pushed those lips away from me, that were definitely not the ones I wanted to kiss forever. The chill that went down my back went deep into my spinal cord.

"What the hell?", Arizona asked. "Had Callie not been clear? Do you need some help understanding her words?"  
"Arizona, let it go. Nothing happened." I wiped the back of my hand in disgust across my mouth. Had Erica always been this hard and cold?  
"Nothing happened?"

"Hahn, you should go", Mark said.

"This is none of your business, Sloan."  
"It is! If you are trying to get between my best friend and the best thing that ever happened to her, it is my damn business."  
I watched as Mark straightened his back, making himself slightly taller than he already was. Not that it would have been necessary, but those were the moments where my best friend actually acted as one.

"Callie", Erica tried again.

But before I could say a word, a furious Arizona stepped in front of me. "Leave", she hissed.

"I think I was talking to Callie.

"And I think Callie already told you to go. So, leave."  
"Arizona is right. Leave", I assured my blonde spitfire, squeezing her shoulder.

"Cal..."

"Do I have to say it again?" Arizona made a step towards Erica, who promptly stepped backwards. I saw her eyes, altering between Mark, Arizona and me.

"Hold your guard dog back, Cal."  
'Oooh, that was a mistake, Erica.'

"Erica Hahn, I'm going to tell you one more fucking time. I'd suggest you listen and you listen pretty good."

I knew instantly it would be better for everyone if Erica would just leave. "You had your chance and you threw it away. You left and I should really thank you for that, because I got the chance to get to know Calliope and her big heart. But frankly, I don't like you. No one deserves to be treated like that, especially Callie. She's wearing her heart on her sleeve and she's always there for everybody and that's what I love about her. But it makes it too easy for people like you to hurt her. And I swear on everything I cherish, you hurt her ever again, I will not be so nice."  
"Cal, come on..."  
I had enough. Arizona was pretty good at giving speeches, really. But this was my war and I had to do that for myself. Couldn't be much harder than telling my dad to shove it. "Erica, go. Really. Just leave."  
Finally, Erica turned around, heading for the exit.

"Oh, Erica?", I called after her. Our eyes connected a last time. "Don't you ever dare to kiss me again."

* * *

"Come on Cal, one song. For me", Mark begged.

"And why would I sing for you?", I countered.

"Because you are my best friend that kept a secret from me over the years about being at the Juilliard. And for not telling me that you could practically fill music halls with your voice."

I looked at him pretty dumbfounded. Juilliard? Nobody knew about that. I had only told Arizona and Addison. Okay, Addie and me, we were beyond drunk when I told her. It had been one of our Tequila-nights. It was impossible that she would remember that talk. But Arizona would never...

"Get your head out of the clouds, Torres. I googled you. Interesting CV that you've got there. Why don't you do something with your voice?"  
"Stage fright", I answered.

"You stood in front of a camera for years. Don't tell me something about stage fright."  
"That are two different pairs of shoes you are trying to match right now, Mark. Every time we had a black out or something during a shoot, we just went back to the start and tried all over again until it worked. On stage, in front of ten, twenty, hundred, thousands of people, you don't get a second chance. You have to give 200 percent if you want to be good enough."  
"So? Give 200 percent. Give 300 percent, you can do that. I honestly don't see a problem, Callie. I saw you perform in the studio, and most important, I _heard_ you perform. You were almost perfect. And right now, we are your friends. Not some strangers that paid a lot of money to hear you."

"Mark is right. Aside from that, you'd save us all if you'd snatch the microphone out of her hand", Arizona said, pointing at Yang who lazily leaned against the music box, giving everyone present a taste of her version of 'Drop it like it's hot'.

I instantly found myself praying for someone to record that. Moments like that should be saved for the future!

Arizona..."  
"Come on, Calliope", she whispered. "For me?"  
I took a deep breath. That smile with those dimples on full force... God, it would kill me someday. She could whisper in my ear, telling me to jump of a bridge with bound arms and legs, and I would do it – just because of that damn sweet smile. "Fine. I'll do it. But you're going to join me. If I have to sing for them, so do you."  
"Uhm...no!", she protested.

"Uhm, yes!"

"Noooo", Arizona said, stretching that one syllable.

"You and me together, or I won't do it."  
"Calliope, that is called blackmailing."  
"No. Blackmailing would be if I...let's say...withhold sex from you if you don't do it", I whispered into Arizona's ear, letting my tongue lightly graze her outer ear after saying the words.

"You wouldn't...!"  
"Wanna find out?"

"Aaaargh", she hissed. "Fine. What do we sing?"  
"I have something in mind. Follow me." I dragged Arizona along to a corner of Joe's bar and told her about my plan. 'Thank you, Erica', I grinned.

* * *

Arizona and I each grabbed one of the microphones and I pushed Yang of that little elevation Joe called stage. I quickly shot down another Tequila, giving me a little more courage to survive what we were about to do. I know, it was only in front of my friends and only God knew how much I loved them, still, I didn't feel that comfortable. Because, even though I knew that all of them had been present at the studio, recording, I couldn't see them. And for that, I was thankful. There could have been million people in the back of the mixing chamber, it wouldn't have mattered because our eyes would have never gotten the chance to meet. 'Come on, Torres. Torres' don't back down. Torres' always stand up to their fears and today, you did that – twice. To your father and to Erica', I gave myself a pep talk. And to be honest, there was nothing out there that scared me more than my father. That man disowned me, abandoned me and called me a sinner – again. That little singing should be a piece of cake, right?

I rubbed the fingers of my free hand on the palm of the hand that gripped the microphone pretty tight. 'Come on, Arizona. Game on.'

**Arizona's POV**

I turned the switch of the music box, hearing the songs shuffle. Callie's plan was funny. And it fitted, thanks to the wicked witch.

Piano notes hollered through the speakers and I watched as a few heads snapped immediately through Joe's bar, searching for who else was about to terrorize their ears now. Callie stood next to the little stage and she looked like that was exactly where she belonged forever – not to my surprise. Showtime:

**Every single day**

**I walk down the street**

**I hear people say**

**"Baby so sweet"**

She didn't even give me the chance to sing out the last note before she interrupted me. But that was our plan. Her plan. We made our own game of this song.

_Ever since puberty_

_Everybody stares at me_

_Boys-Girls_

_I can't help it, baby_

_So be kind_

_Don't lose your mind_

_Just remember that I'm your baby_

I slowly made some moves in her direction. The eyes of our friends flicked between my girlfriend and me. Always trying to read our face, but definitely failing. Because, oh, it was a whole lot of acting mimics and faked emotions while I sang the next lines.

**Take me for what I am**

**Who I was meant to be**

**And if you give a damn**

**Take me baby, or leave me**

**Take me baby, or leave me**

I grinned and nodded. It was Callie's turn to blow their minds

_A tiger in a cage_

_Can never see the sun_

_This diva needs her stage_

_Baby let's have fun!_

She let her hands roam her own Latin curves and I really had to focus on the song to stop my mouth from watering that much. Oh, what a diva!

_You are the one I choose_

_Folk's would kill to fill you shoes_

_You love the limelight too, love baby_

_So be mine and don't waste your_ _time_

_Cryin' "Oh honey bear, are you still my my_

_My baby?"_

I couldn't hold back the **'Don't you dare'**. I just loved that movie too much.

_Take me for what I am_

_Who I was meant to be_

_And if you give a damn_

_Take me baby, or leave me_

_No way, can I be what I'm not_

_But hey, don't you want your_ _girl hot?_

_Don't fight, don't lose_ _your_ _head_

_Cause every night, who's in your_ _bed?_

_Who?_

_Who's in your bed?_

"_Kiss pookie"_, she added with a wink. It almost made me burst out in laughter. She knew it was one of my favorite quotes from 'Rent'. Still, I kept my posture even though I had much more trouble when I was with Callie than I would admit in front of our friends.

We stood across each other and tried to keep our serious faces.

**It won't work**

**I look before I leap**

**I love margins and disciplines**

**I make lists in my sleep**

**Babe, what's my sin?**

**Never quit – I follow through**

**I hate mess but I love you**

**what do to with my impromptu baby?**

**So be wise**

**Cause this girl satisfies**

Oh, I knew just how much I was able to satisfy her. When she was screaming my name. Her body writhing beneath me. I couldn't hold back the smirk as my hand imitated the moves her hand had made down her curvy body a minute or so ago.

**You've got a prize so don't compromise**

**You're one lucky baby**

**Take me for what I am**

I took a really deep breath. The last choruses would be the hardest part. That is, if I wanted to keep up with Callie. Her voice was simply too strong and all I could do was try to fight her power with all I had.

Our voices raised together and against each other at the same time. Every one of our friends understood by now that we were just acting. Well, I'd say it was all Callie's fault because she was the one who took my hand, interlacing our fingers together. Okay, maybe it was because of the bright smiles on our faces.

_**Guess I'm leaving**_

_**I'm gone!**_

The last two lines left our lips and the first thing I could hear were Mark's loud whistles. Yeah, I knew he would love that little show we just gave them. I ignored him though – actually, I was pretty much infatuated with Callie who had pulled me in after building up an appetite during the song. Her hand was holding me tight at the small part of my back.

"Move in with me", she whispered and before I could even think about an answer, I felt her full lips on mine. She softly dominated the kiss. Strange, but she was able to be rough and gentle at the same time. Her tongue stroke my bottom lip, asking for permission to enter my mouth which I granted her in a heartbeat. The whistles around us got louder and louder and I knew it wasn't only Mark anymore.

I pulled away from the kiss and made contact with the clear, deep brown eyes, that fascinated me so much since I saw her the first time, that I often got lost in them for hours. I could just watch her forever.

What a show!

* * *

AN3: I promise, that was the last time we had to face Erica. ;)

AN4: Stay tuned?


	19. Chapter 19

AN: You know the drill, I don't own anything, I just write for fun. Happy reading :)

* * *

**Callie's POV**

"So? What do you say?", I asked as I was still waiting for an answer from Arizona.

"Uhm..."  
Oh no. She's hesitating. It was too early, I knew it. I hadn't even have the intention to ask her. Not that I didn't want her to move in with me. Really. If it was possible, I'd be with her every minute of every day. Just...the question just slipped. Today. And I actually had planned to ask her when I knew she would say yes. Not like this. Damn. That's what spontaneity does to you.

"Calliope..?"  
I heard her voice but only as her hand caressed my cheek, I let go of the thoughts bugging my brain and looked at her. "Oh...uhm...you...you don't have to. I just thought, well, you're at my house almost every day – every night anyway – and when you're not there it's pretty lonely because I like, ugh, scratch that, I love having you around and it's pretty unnecessary that you go home every other day only to grab some clothes and the silliest thing is that you are still paying rent for a place you practically never are and-"

"Calliope, you're rambling", she cut me off, giving me one of her magic smiles. My muscles relaxed instantly. Her eyes were saying more that words could ever try to express. She leaned in until her lips met mine in an innocent kiss. It was reassuring.

"So, is that a yes?", I asked as I made a step backwards.

"Yes Calliope, that is most definitely a yes!"  
"Oh God. I mean. Oh my God!" I pulled her in for a hungry and fiery kiss.

In the background I heard someone clearing her throat. "I really don't want to interrupt, but-"  
"Then don't, Addison", Arizona said quickly, catching my lips once again with hers, asking for permission to enter my mouth with her tongue.

I grinned into the kiss. To cut Addison off, well, that was something not everybody was brave enough to try. But then again, Arizona did the same with my father, and that was something, nobody I know did or was still alive to talk about it.

Though, before the kiss could heat up some more, I stopped us from giving our friends another show.

"You weren't really thinking I would say no, were you?"  
"Uhm...well...yeah...kind of."  
"I think, the answer was pretty much clear."  
"You could have said no."  
"Calliope. You asked me to move in into a house where I practically already live. My toiletries are in your bathroom, not in my apartment. The better part of my clothes are in one of your dressers and-"  
Now I had to cut her off. "Our bathroom. Our dressers."  
"Mhmm...I like the sound of that."  
"Me too", I answered and wanted to kiss her again, but Addison roughly pushed her hand between us. "It's enough. Cal, Arizona, congratulations for making the next step and moving in with each other. But we are here to celebrate and-"  
"It's okay, Addie", I laughed and called for Joe to get another round of shots ready for us.

"Hey yo, Torres", dragged Mark me away from my girlfriend and the redhead. "Blondie's seriously moving in with you? Pretty fast, don't you think?"

"No", I said, shaking my head.

"Erica was never-"  
"I wasn't in love with Erica."  
"But you thought you were", Mark countered.

"Yeah, thinking and feeling, Mark. If you ever learn the difference, you'll be able to find your one." I looked over to Lexie. "And keep her." And with that said, I left Mark and walked back to Arizona and Addison. My double-A-agents.

**Arizona's POV**

"Stupid, stupid fucking promotion work!", I cursed as I left my apartment building, jogging over towards Teddy who was waiting for me.

"Good morning to you too?"  
We started moving down the road. Taking a run would distract me, right? "No. There's nothing good about this morning, Teddy."  
"Ooooooooookay, dark clouds covering Arizona?", she answered, trying to make a joke out of my name.

I didn't think it was funny. I never liked jokes about my name. Arizona. Nobody cared that I was named after the USS Arizona in honor of my grandfather – not that I had ever met him. When we were little, my father told us so much about him that he was my hero too. But no one ever saw that. Everybody just thought about the freaking state. Everyone except for Calliope. Calliope. And here we go again. After all, she was the reason for my not so happy mood.

"Come on, Ari. What's gotten your panties in a twist? You can tell Auntie Teddy."  
I looked at her with wide eyes. "Auntie Teddy?", I laughed.

"Well, I'm obviously no uncle. So, what's wrong?"  
I exhaled pretty audible.

"Oh...wow. So many words. Don't forget to take a breath." She laughed at me again, taking a sip from her water-filled bottle. Teddy was always thirsty. A couple of meters into the run and her fluid balance was going crazy. "Have you seen Callie at Ellen last night?"  
My only response was a mean grumbling.

"Wow, what was that? Trouble in paradise?"  
"Yes. I mean, not. I...do you know how frustrating it is to only see the woman you love when you switch the TV on in time?"  
"No. I was never in love with a woman", Teddy joked. One could think she'd spend the night with a clown. "I thought you're on the phone every night?"  
"Yeah. As if that would help..."  
"Arizona. She's gone for five days now, that's four nights. You can't be sexually frustrated. That's not possible."  
"Well, it is, because I am! And you would be too if you got used to having a hot and gorgeous Latina next to you, touching you at night. Or, a hot Latino in your case. Whatever." I focused my eyes on the road for a few minutes, sorting out my thoughts. "It's not even about the sex alone. I just miss her. You'd think I would be able to survive a few days without her. But the truth is, inside of me, it's total chaos. I haven't spent one night alone since we officially said 'I love you' for the first time – hell, even before, I'd spent more nights at her place. And now that I am forced to do exactly that, it's just hard. And five days of take-out and pizza isn't that nice either...", I pouted.

"Whoa. Since I know you – well, since you moved out of your parents' house – you never had a problem with take-out or pizza. I always wondered how you could stay in shape, but other than that...", Teddy laughed, taking another sip of her water.

"Aaargh! See? She even made me addicted to her homemade dishes."  
"Arizona, I'm really not thrilled to tell you that, but you are totally smitten. That girlfriend of yours has you completely whipped around her little finger."

"I know", I sighed but a smile immediately made its way to my lips at the thought of Callie. "But it is a very good feeling."

"Ari?"  
"Mhmm?" Without thinking about it, we both turned right into the nearest park. Teddy and I always had this kind of connection – at least while we were running. There was no need to talk about the pace. One way or another, our steps always adjusted to each other's after a few seconds into the run. We never talked about a route or something. We just started and instinctively choose the same way.

"Maybe you should press charges", Teddy winked.

"Oh my God! Seriously, you need a love life on your own. Or at least, you need sex. Please. What's with the new one? The one who's playing the tumor patient your character should bond with? He's cute. Or Sloan. Sloan's always up for sex."  
"Mark loves Lexie."  
"That didn't stop him before", I stated, refocusing my eyes on the road. "But, seriously, Teddy. There's no way you could have read that many mushy love novels that you are giving advices like 'You should press charges at her for stealing your heart'. I felt the dimples pop into my cheeks. "I have another way for paying her back anyway..."  
"Oh God, Arizona!"

"Not what you think, Teds", I groaned. Why is my friend's mind always in the gutter? "Really. Besides, sex is not really a punishment for Calliope, nor is it a fair trade for my heart."  
"What are you thinking of?"  
"I'll steal her last name, so we are definitely quits," I said with a grin and started a short sprint to get away from Teddy.

"And how many love novels did you read?", she yelled after me before she caught on to me. "You have my blessings..."

I smiled like a kid on Christmas morning.

**Callie's POV**

"Addison, come on. Hurry up", I rushed.

"I'm almost ready."  
"Yeah. You already said that fifteen minutes ago."  
"You can wait another five minutes, Cal."

"Until then, I'm starved, Addie." While Addison took all the time in the world to get ready in her bathroom, I was fighting an inner battle with myself. I could call Arizona, but the chances were, she'd not pick up. Maybe she was on set, or out for dinner with Teddy. But, I missed her. Eight days. I thumbed over the touch screen of my cell phone until I subconsciously pressed the call button and a loud beep told me, that I was in fact calling my girlfriend.  
"Calliope?"

"Ari-Arizona?"

"Who else?"  
"Uhm...I am sorry. I didn't want to call you." 'Oh no, that came out wrong.' "No. Uhm. That's not right. Of course I wanted to call you. But, I guess I slid harder over the screen as I thought I did." 'Was I off the hook?'

"Calliope", Arizona giggled. "Would you please wait a minute?"  
"Huh? Okay..."

"Okay. I'm back."  
"What was that?"  
"Nothing, Calliope. I was out for a run with Teds and I just came back."  
Damn! Images of Arizona flashed behind my eyes. A sweaty Arizona. Undressing herself. Naked under the shower. Arizona bending over, untying the laces of her shoes. Oh God! My imagination was definitely toopornographic since Arizona came into my life. What was it with this woman?

"Callie? You're still there?"  
I gulped. "Uhm...yes...uhm...still present. How was your day?", I stuttered.

"Uhm..."  
"That exciting, huh?", I smiled.

"Uhm...well...actually, Callie...I have to tell you something."  
"Okay?" It sounded more like a question. Suddenly, I got pretty nervous.

"Jessica, she's, well, there's a new girl for her."  
"That is not something we haven't thought about before, Arizona. Even though I would have given her a little time to grieve, but that's not in my hand." So far so good. After all, it was still Arizona's job. "Who is it? Do I know her?"  
"No."  
"Arizona, you're acting weird. Did something happen?"  
"Yes."  
"Zona, you're killing me here. I'm stuck in LA so please just tell me what's wrong."  
"It's Joanne."  
"Joanne? Joanne who?" And then it clicked. "Joanne? Your 'you're-just-a-woman-ex-girlfriend-Joanne?"  
"Jackpot", Arizona answered. She wasn't that comfortable with the new situation, I could tell by her voice. She didn't like it one bit. The same feeling spread through my body like fire, coupled with another one: jealousy. "Can you please say something?"  
"To be honest, I don't know what to say to that, Arizona", I answered. How do you react to news like that? I collected myself for a few seconds before I tried to speak again. "Have you seen her?"  
"Yes."  
"Uhm...how..."  
"Calliope, would you please listen to me?"

Addison came into the living room, mouthing a silent question of what was wrong. 'Five minutes my ass.' I just gave her a look, completely forgetting, that Arizona was still waiting for an answer.  
"Calliope?"  
"What? Uhm, yeah, I'm here. Sorry. I'm listening."  
"I had no idea that she got into acting, honestly. When we were together, she was always talking shits about my job. I'd never even thought about her starting doing that as well. And I am not thrilled about it either. Not about Jessica coping with Sara's dead by fucking around, nor that her new fuck buddy is Joanne, well, her character. You have to believe me, Callie. Please."

Why was my body always reacting in these odd ways when she was calling me by my nickname?"

"You don't have to worry, do you hear me? I love you. I just wanted to be honest with you. I didn't want for you to come home in two weeks, thinking that I was holding out on you. There's nothing I need to keep a secret. She's here, I can't do anything about that. But I need you to trust me."  
"Okay", I answered.

"Okay?"  
"Okay", I repeated.

"Okay. I love you, Calliope."  
"I love you too, so much", I replied with a smile on my face. "Arizona, I gotta go. Addison and I have reservations for dinner. I'll call again?"  
"Please. I'll watch Letterman while waiting for your call."  
"You never watch Letterman", I laughed.

"Well, it's not worth it any other day. But a little bird told me, that today's show features a very hot Latina who's performing a song with a voice to die for."  
"Sofia Vergara?"  
"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer, Calliope. Hear you later?"  
"Of course." I wanted to hang up, but suddenly, another thought crossed my mind. "Wait! Arizona?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Don't be mad, okay?"

"Don't be mad? Why should I be mad? Calliope, what have you done?"  
"Nothing bad, I promise. You'll see when you really plan to watch Letterman. I really gotta go now.,Zona. I love you."

"Oh...okay..."  
I hung up the phone, grinning like there was no tomorrow.

"You know she's probably sitting on her couch right now, biting of all of her fingernails", Addison said.

I combed my fingers through my now short curls and smiled. "Possible.

Addison and I were sitting at our table in the restaurant, enjoying both the second glass of red wine as my cell was buzzing, announcing an incoming message from my girlfriend.

**Oh my GOD! So HOT! -A**

I laughed out loud, handing the phone over to Addison to read the message as well. She started to laugh as well.

* * *

AN2: So...Daddy's 'gone', Erica's gone, now we have Joanne...yaay?

AN3: Up next: More Joanne, moving in and who know how far I get with the translation

AN4: Thanks again to my lovely beta who does a very good and fast job correcting my translations.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: Well... just wanted to say thank you for the reviews! They really spur me on!

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

I think I haven't stared that spellbound at the television screen like I have for the last two and a half hours for a very long time – well, never, actually. Calliope was breathtakingly. At first, I was a little shocked. For as long as I knew her, dark long tresses had always framed her beautiful face. And how many thoughts and daydreams I had spent thinking about them? Every time I had asked myself what it would feel like to just comb my fingertips through her dark mane. And since I knew what it was like, I treasured and memorized the feeling.  
But when I saw her at Letterman, claiming the stage as hers – stage fright my ass – there were no long dark brown strands falling loose over her shoulders. Instead, they barely reached her chin.  
I was really happy that I had been alone. Teddy would have just laughed at me. It took all my willpower to not just hop on a plane and go to LA to see her.  
_You were a problem child. Been grounded your whole life. So now you're runnin' wild._  
"Ah fuck, where the hell are you?" I could hear my cell phone ringing loud and clear as it was playing 'Hot Mess' – Callie's ringtone – but where was that damn thing?  
_Playin' with the goof girls. No that ain't your style. You think you're hot shit and I love it. I love it yeah, yeah._  
'Ah, kitchen.' "Calliope?"  
"Uhm, who else?", Callie asked and laughed. "What's up with you?"  
"Uhm, nothing. I...your...you cut your hair."  
"Yes. It was so not planned. Actually, it was Addie's idea."  
"It's hot. You are hot. You're getting used to being on stage", I said, smiling at the memory of her new haircut.  
"Well, no. It's still pretty frightening, but it's getting easier. I'm just thinking about you all the time, that's enough distraction for me to not lose it", she admitted.  
"Mhmm, I think about you all the time, too. Especially the last hours. The thoughts about you in that short dress with that killer heels you were wearing on stage."  
"Arizona?"  
"Calliope", I exhaled. "If you were here right now..."  
"Zona, Addie's sitting next to me..."  
"Fine", I pouted. "But don't think you're off the hook. When you get back..."  
"...we'll spent a whole day in bed. Just you and me, no clothes allowed. I promise."  
"Mhmm, that sounds pretty awesome." Unintentionally I looked over to the calendar that was placed next to the coffee maker. 'Leave it to Calliope, to put your schedules next to the first thing you need in the morning.' I had scratched out every day we've spend apart so far and there were still some more to go. "Five days", I sighed.  
Callie hummed her agreement. "Do you think you can handle that?", she asked and chuckled.  
"Of course! I will be so busy on set for the next days that I won't even find the time to miss you" I answered, faking a pout.  
"With Joanne", she stated. Her voice unreadable.  
'Yeah...right...'

* * *

**Callie' POV**

"Callie?"  
"Hi Teddy", I greeted my girlfriend's best friend with a smile.  
"What are you doing here?" Her eyes went even wider than they usually were. "Oh, no. Don't get me wrong, but Arizona's keeps crying and cursing in my ear that you would not be back until the day after tomorrow and now you're here..." And then she suddenly hugged me.  
"Oh, thank you Teddy. I am fine, how are you? Yes, LA has been great. Letterman and Ellen are actually pretty nice", I said, stifling my laughter. "I am happy to see you...too?"  
"I am sorry. But, Arizona has been, well, a hand full. It was all Callie this and Calliope that. And then Joanne showed up out of nowhere!" And as if she'd just blabbed something out I was not supposed to know, her hand jerked up to cover her mouth.  
"It's okay Teddy. I know about Joanne. Not that I am too thrilled about that, but-"  
"Have I just heard my name?", a tall brunette asked, stalking up towards us and stopping next to Teddy.  
"Uhm, yeah. Joanne, this is Callie. Callie, Joanne."  
My parents raised me good, so I held out my hand for her to shake it. But her green eyes seemed to pierce through me instantly as if I was the enemy, while mine kept mustering her from head to toe. Even if I'd ooze confidence, I 'd be more than just convinced that I couldn't hold a candle to the women in front of me.  
"Calliope?" A well-known lovely voice ripped me out of my thoughts. I turned around and before her eyes could take me in, she saw Joanne standing there with us. Arizona narrowed her eyes, before focusing them on me again and I could finally see the magic smile spread out on her face.  
We made a few steps towards each other, and before I decided if I would just hug her and hold her tight, I felt her soft pink lips on mine and got instantly lost in the feeling of being home again. Arizona's hands found their way to my hair and I actually had to smile as she stopped kissing me because her fingers were not able to revel into long curls anymore. But as soon as they had to let go of my hair, slender fingers tangled themselves back into my locks, playing with my hair.  
"Calliope", Joanne cleared her throat in the background. "What sort of name is that?"  
As fast as Arizona had pulled away from the kiss, my brain had not yet had the chance to make the connection. She rushed past me and stood in front of Joanne. Teddy took her position beside her best friend.  
"Arizona", I put my hand on her shoulder. My small hot spitfire. And I always thought that _I_ was the Latina in this relationship. Measured by her temper, there was definitely running hot blood through her veins.  
"If you know what is good for you, you'll leave Callie alone", Arizona said, though it sounded more like a growl. I didn't even know that she was able to make sounds like that.  
"Zoney, calm down. Teddy just introduced us to each other and Calliope and I, we haven't had the chance to have a proper conversation", she defended herself.  
"Only Arizona can call me that", I corrected her. Because she was the only person in the whole universe, that would not make me flinch by uttering my whole first name. The way it rolled from her lips made the hair on my neck stand on end – in a very very good way.  
"And you don't have the right to call me 'Zoney' anymore. Beside the fact that you know that I never really liked the name and that you only refused to call me anything else", Arizona added, though I didn't quite catch that. My head was playing its own movie before my inner eyes that showed Joanne coming home, calling out for _Zoney_. Zoney. Arizona. Zoney. Arizona. _Arizona. _I grabbed her hand, intertwining our fingers while grinning back at Joanne.  
"Okay. No need to get angry, _Arizona_", Joanne said, adding a mocking tone to her pronunciation. "It was nice to meet you, Callie. Maybe we can talk again some time soon, seeing that we have a big thing in common", she said, winking at me before her eyes focused just a moment too long for my liking on Arizona. Then she turned on her heels and walked back on set.  
"So, that is Joanne", I stated.  
"Ugh", was all Arizona said and turned to face me. "You're back early", she retorted with a big smile.  
I nodded. "A little bird told me that none of you has to do any shoots tomorrow day and night. And correct me if I am wrong, but I think I promised you a whole day in bed."  
A quiet "Ooooh", left her delicate lips.  
"So I wanted to ask you, if you fancy coming around after you're done today? Uhm, I mean, if you fancy coming home. Well, it's not your home, not yet, but maybe we could find some time to plan everything and get your stuff moved in?", I asked in anticipation.  
"I'd really...really..._really_ love to", she answered between kisses. "Should I bring pizza?"  
"No. Another bird told me that you practically survived from eating take-out and pizza while I was gone."  
She gave Teddy a really mean look.  
"Hey, be nice to her. She's just looking out for you", I laughed." I'm gonna go and get some groceries now. And when you get _home_ tonight, dinner will be ready and waiting for you." I pulled her in a last time, pressing my lips against hers. It was not my intention to deepen the kiss so much, but there were so much pent-up emotions from the last days, that I thought this kiss would either kill me off for good or breathe new life into my system.  
Arizona stumbled slightly backwards as I let go of her lips. "See you later", I whispered in her ear. Smiling as she couldn't even form any words.  
As I left the studio grounds I tried almost too much not to think about my little incident with Joanne. I didn't want to be the jealous new girlfriend of Arizona. Jealousy was something I just wasn't that fond of, even after George. In most cases it caused only pain, or it curtailed, or made you blind. And on top of that, there was no reason for me to be jealous. Not yet. Her being here would not chance anything. Not my trust in Arizona, not my love for her. And most definitely not the relationship we had, if even my family hadn't been able to do that.

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

"Hey Arizona, where should I bring this box?"  
"Ugh, Teddy, it's labeled. So, what's written on it?"  
"Bedroom."  
"So, where are you supposed to put it down?"  
"In front of the bedroom. Aye aye, Captain Robbins"  
I leaned with my back against the door frame, watching my gorgeous Latina giving more instructions to Alex and Mark. Since Callie came back from LA, everything was in a rush. Out of pure coincidence, I'd found someone pretty fast to move into my apartment, who was probably even more in the need of a place to live than I was willing to move out. He even took over most of the furniture I wouldn't need. And everything else just went from there and was well organized. I'd packed box after box after my days at work and the only furniture I wanted to keep were the heirlooms of my grandfather. And now there was a moving truck parked in Callie's driveway and Mark and Alex carried the heavy oak desk in my direction. Callie had painted one of the empty rooms for me – in a color she said reminded her of an Easter basket – but she'd done it anyway. That would be my room. Not that we'd ever plan on sleeping separated from each other, hence there would be no spare bed in this room. But I could put all my books in there. My scripts because I loved to reread them at some point. So, it was more like a study and it was a place where I could have some time on my own. We were both pretty stubborn and before we'd push away each other like north and south poles, we could both take a time out.  
To be honest though, I was pretty sure that most of the time it would be me who would go and chase her down in the piano room, finding her playing either that or the violin. But I'd do that every day because it was such an amazing view seeing her getting lost in the music. Sometimes she was so far away, that she didn't even notice me and I could just pretend to not be there and listen.  
"Hey, everything okay?"  
I nodded in response. "I guess I was just a little lost in my own thoughts."  
"Yeah, I noticed. Mark made a comment about you, me and sex and you didn't say anything back", Callie laughed.  
"He did? Oh...well...He's just jealous because Lexie's still giving him a hard time and he knows that he will never get another chance if he messes this up and just so much as looks at another woman. And because he knows that we...well...you know", I let my sentence linger in the room, earning a soft kiss to my cheek.  
"Did you ever think that you were moving in one day, as you walked through that door the first time?"  
I shook my head. "Did you think it was possible to find something like this?" I took her hand and placed it on my chest. My heart was beating rapidly against her palm. As if it would know that it was Callie's hand.  
This time, she shook her head.  
I knew from a pretty intense talk with Mark – yes, Mark – that Callie hadn't want to believe in love anymore after Erica. What a waste that would have been? "I love you", I whispered in her ear. "But, maybe we should help them", I added.  
"Mhmm...the more, the faster. And as soon as they are gone, I have you all to myself and I think I won't let you go anytime soon.  
"Do you think of anything particular?"  
"I'm thinking about a lot of things", she answered with a wicked smile on her face and leaned in to me. "And none of that contains one of us being dressed."  
I gulped. I saw a slight sheen of red on her cheeks. It was rare seeing her blush, because her darker skin would hide it most of the times. One of the privileges to be born as a Latina, that I could not say about myself. I felt my blood rush through my body and I could have sworn that my heart just stopped beating for a moment and now it was pounding impossibly faster.  
"Hey! Torres! Robbins! Will you move a finger or should we do all the work?", Mark yelled.  
"Coming!", Callie yelled back. "And I really hope I'll have you coming under me before today ends", she breathed against my ear.  
My hands clenched around the door frame behind me, otherwise our friends would have witnessed how easy that woman could make my knees go week.

* * *

AN2: Callie's ringtone is 'Hot Mess'

AN3: Oooh, don't we love Joanne? Isn't she just lovely?

AN4: Up next: well, I can't tell, sorry ;)

AN5: Congrats! By now you've managed to stay with me 80 pages into the translation of the original German story :)


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: Here we go again ;)**

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**Callie's POV**

"Torres, what are you doing here?", Mark asked me.

It was always like this. Every freaking time. I showed up on set to pick up my girlfriend for dinner or lunch and somehow someone always asked me this stupid question. What could I possibly be doing here? I'd hardly start to work here again. Even though I had to admit that it got harder and harder each day to just stop by and act like nothing was wrong. Because with every day that passed, my death was getting nearer. Well, Sara's death. But it was also the musical episode and frankly, I was scared. It would make it true indefinitely.

"Cal, are you okay?", he asked, switching from being all 'sloany' to just being Mark.

"Yeah...yeah, everything's fine. Do you know if Arizona has finished yet?" I looked at him and knew instantly that he was not buying any of my words. But he also saw, that I wasn't ready to talk about it, so he let it go.

"I don't know her schedule, but why don't you just go and see for yourself? If she's still shooting, she should be doing a scene at the nurses' station. You still know your way around, don't you?", he grinned.

"Thanks Mark." I gave him a quick peck on his cheek and followed Owen who was obviously heading in the same direction. "Hey, Owen", I greeted him as I finally caught up with him.

"Callie", he smiled. "You here to pick up Arizona?"

"Yeah, what else?", I answered. "Any news?"  
"Nope. Nothing's changed. You? Arizona won't stop talking about you and how perfect it is to live with you, but what are you doing?"

"Oh...uhm...writing. Composing, actually. Nothing too exciting though", I answered. To be honest, it was beyond exciting. I was thrilled. I haven't been so infatuated with harmonies and chords since my time back then at Juilliard. Of course, I had always cherished my piano and played a song or two each day, but I had never created some melodies on my own. But since I was at home every day, I just blossomed. So much that I forgot almost everything around me until the alarm reminded me that dinner would not just magically be ready and waiting for us.

"That's good. Maybe there's a chance for us to listen to one of your works at some point?"  
I stopped. "Uhm...yeah...sure...maybe. Maybe one day. Do you know where Arizona-?" My question got stuck in my throat as I saw her standing at the nurses' station with Joanne. Well, Joanne was actually holding her back. 'Calm down.' Even though my hand clenched into a fist automatically, I waited and tried to evaluate the situation. Maybe they were shooting a scene? Although Arizona's face was telling me quite the opposite.

"Come on, Zoney", I could hear her voice from the distance.

I went closer so I could hear them better. Spying and eavesdropping was not something I liked to do, but this circumstance required special measures.

"What part of my very clear 'Don't call me that' didn't you get, Joanne?"

"Arizona." And there it was again, that not so nice mocking note in her voice. "What's the big deal. We'll go out, have a few drinks, talk about old times and if you worked up enough of an appetite, you can go home to you little girlfriend."  
"Joanne", Arizona warned her.

"What? Arizona, it's exactly like that, isn't it? You come here every day and go home after work where a homemade dinner's waiting for you and the house is as clean as a real hospital."

Inside of me, anger was rising like a speed car. That person did not know me, how could she dare to judge me? She didn't know our relationship. Was Arizona thinking that way too?

"Enough!"

"You have to admit, that it is weird. When we were together, you didn't want anything of that. You hadn't wanted a house and sure as hell no little wifey waiting for you to get home. You always said, that you didn't want an daily routine like that. Everything had to be exciting. We went out every night. Dancing. Drinking. What happened to you, Zoney?"

"I found a woman that's worth all that, Joanne", Arizona answered in a cold voice.

"'I love you, Joanne. Only you, Joanne.'", Joanne mocked. "Those were your words."

"Yeah. But it sounds like a decade ago. Those were my words, but _were_ is exactly the point here, because it's in the past. Or should I remind you of what you did to me? What you said to me? 'You're just a woman after all.'"

I watched as Arizona bit her lower lip, a sign that she was not feeling that comfortable around Joanne. Or maybe, the thoughts that were running through her mind were definitely inappropriate. But judging by the look on her face, my first suggestion was right.

"I made a mistake, Arizona. I've never stopped loving you."  
"That's enough now", I stepped between them, facing Joanne. "It's better if you leave. And I suggest you leave now."

"And who are you to tell me that?"  
"I-" I didn't have an answer to that.  
"She is the woman that has my heart, Joanne. And if you know what's best for you, you take her advice and go. Now. And leave me alone."  
"You can't tell me not to fight. We were a couple for years. The few months you are together? Cute, but you don't stand a chance", she said to me, looking me straight in the eyes.

A challenge that didn't even make me flinch. "It's Arizona's decision", I answered in a calm voice, although everything inside of me screamed to just punch her in the face, break her nose or...maybe a few not so violent things. Words were always the better way. And I was too proud to step down to her level.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Arizona's lips forming into a smile. Then I felt her hand stroking the inside of my forearm until it reached first my palm and then my fingers, intertwining them with hers.

"Maybe you should ask Arizona how much she'd liked that kiss we just shared", Joanne spat as she noticed that Arizona clearly made a decision without batting an eyelid.

"Oh Joanne, please. That was in the script! And if I – and some other people here – remember correctly, you had a not so soft encounter with the wall as you tried to deepen the kiss."

My muscles twitched and I squeezed Arizona's hand a little tighter – and I could do nothing about it. Not two seconds later Arizona returned the gesture, moving her thumb reassuringly over the back of my hand.

Joanne looked at our joined hands and fingers and I was sure if it would have been physically possible for her, there had been smoke coming out of her ears. She got beet read and stomped off.

"Is she always like that?", I asked Arizona.

"No. Well, yes. I don't know. Sometimes, maybe. She just doesn't understand. You trust me, right?"  
I lifted her face with two fingers under her chin, that way she had to look at me. Brown met blue and there were no words needed to be said. I saw everything I needed to know in her eyes. Honesty and love. "Of course", I whispered, closing the gap between our faces until our lips melted in a long deep kiss. "Italian?", I asked, brushing my thumb over the slightly bruised bottom lip.

"Asian", she answered matter-of-factly and we left the studios to have a now pretty quick lunch. Even after Joanne, almost nothing could dampen my mood when I was with her.

**Airzona's POV**

Ugh, what a day. First that not so nice incident with my bitch of an ex-girlfriend this noon and on top of that I had to work some overtime because this part of Seattle was hit by a major power failure at some point. And of course we had to finish that scene today. The life as an actress... All I wanted to do now was go home, hold my very very hot Latina in my arms and tangle my fingers in her hair. I fell in love with her new haircut so fast, not one day passed by since she got home where I had been able to fight the urge to play with her locks. Well, not that she was complaining.

"Miss Robbins?"

"Yes?" I turned around. The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but I couldn't point out where I had heard it before. That was, until I saw the man standing in front of me. 'Oh no.' "Mister Torres?"  
"Miss Robbins, I was wondering if we could talk?"  
What did he want? Call me some more names? It wouldn't matter though. My wall was tall and thick and no matter what he was going to throw at me, I wouldn't back down. There was too much to risk if I would. Everything, actually.

"Please?", he asked again.

I nodded and led him away from my car and down the road. If I would grant him to have that talk, I'd at least not stand in front of him, giving him the chance to scold me like a schoolgirl. But to my surprise we walked a good 500 meters in silence.

"Miss Robbins", he started suddenly out of nowhere. "You say, you love my daughter?"

I was stunned, shocked because of the straight question and the sound of his voice. He sounded different than the Mister Torres I got to know the times before. He sounded like a father. But still, I wondered why he didn't ask about Calliope. "With everything that I am and everything she is. With all her faults and habits. With her passion for almost everything that's about music. Her smile and her big heart."

I heard his sharp inhaling loud and clear after my confession.

"Mister Torres?", I tried to look at him this time, but all he did was staring straight forward. "Calliope is still the same person you raised her to be, maybe even better. She falls in love with a person not with their gender. Of course, that doesn't make it easier for me because you and me both know that she was indeed married to a man. And I think I would lie if I would say, that I share her opinion no matter what. Because, I am scared as hell, that she could wake up some day and just leave me because she chose a man instead of me because she couldn't bear to live without her family anymore. But, on the other hand it is exactly what I love so much about her. Her heart. Her way of seeing things. Without any prejudice."

Frankly, she didn't get that from her family.

"You've raised a wonderful woman, Mister Torres. She is so strong, beautiful inside out. She's caring. And she's brave. She stands up to her beliefs. You may have turned your back on her and couldn't see that, but Calliope is strong."  
"I always had to catch her."  
"Huh?", I asked, completely forgetting my manners.

"Calliope always had her own mind. She's got the stubbornness from her mother and she's as pigheaded as me. She's got the free mind and strong will from her abuela. But she always followed my rules."

I couldn't hold back the snort.

"When she was four years old, Aria had locked her in the basement and it wasn't the first time. Calliope was always afraid of the basement when she was a kid. So as she came back she'd told her sister that she would just run away now. Aria said, she'd stood on the threshold of the kitchen, teddy bear in one and a jacket in the other hand. Believe me, if my wife and me had been there, we'd probably just send her to her room, but Aria only laughed at her. So, when I came home from work, I saw my little Calliope sitting on the curbside on the corner of our street. It wasn't that hard to know it was her. Though she had her back to me, she was the only little four year old with thick dark curly hair. I wondered what she was doing outside alone, but then again as I already told you, she'd always had her own mind and I thought that maybe she and Aria had a fight.

When I entered the house, I found my wife crying and screaming at our first daughter in the living room. And when I asked her what happened, she just said that Calliope is missing and that it was Arias fault. Frankly, I burst out laughing. Of course my Lucia didn't understand me. She was furious and started to yell at me too. I dragged her outside, down the driveway and turned us to where Calliope was still sitting. The only thing she told us was that she was not allowed to cross the street alone and that she was scared of all the cars and that's why she'd still be so close to the house."  
"And she never told you where she'd been?", I asked as he paused for a minute.

"Never", he answered. According to Aria she'd been gone for two hours already when my wife got home. God knows where she'd been when my wife got home and only the Lord himself knows, how stubborn he made my daughter. But I learned that day, that I'd need a lot of power to break her will without really breaking her and making her strong instead."  
"I'd say, you managed that pretty good, Mister Torres. Even though you may not see it that way."

"I tried to teach her everything I knew – I thought – was right. The Bible. The paths of God. And today? Calliope quotes the Bible freely and flawlessly, yet she does not live the way the Bible teaches us. But I think, God's ways are inscrutable." He stopped walking. "Miss Robbins, if you love my daughter as much as you say you do, then I have only one plea left to say."  
"Mister Torres, I can't leave your daughter. That would break her and me." I searched for his eyes and hold his glare.

He smiles. "Would you please tell Calliope, that I am sorry?"  
"What?"  
"I grew up in a whole different generation, Miss Robbins. I was raised in a different way. I needed longer to come around and understand that I should not despise something that makes her happy. Calliope still thinks, that I sent her away to the boarding school because I saw her kissing a boy. But that's only one half of the truth. I sent her away so she was out of the influence of her mother, so she could become who she is now."  
"Mister Torres, what do you think about coming home with me, telling her everything you want to say to her? Say sorry to her and not to me? I think that would mean a lot more to Calliope than getting the message from me."  
"Miss Robbins, I don't want to be an intruder. I heard from Aria that you are living in that house now too."  
"Please, call me Arizona." I reached out my hand for him to take it.

"Thank you very much, Miss...Arizona. I don't think I would be still that polite to me if I were you. And I most definitely would not let you anywhere near my daughter."

"I am doing that only for her, Mister Torres. She misses you. All of you. You are her father, her family. She doesn't talk a lot about you, but I hear it. Every single note she's playing with her violin, it's a scream for her family."  
"You can hear that?"

I nodded. "I am not able to do anything more than a few chords on my dad's guitar Mister Torres, but I have very good ears. And every time Calliope plays, she plays with everything that's in here", I answered, placing my hand over the beating heart in my chest. "It's a difference whether she's sitting strong and proud behind her piano, or if she's caressing the strings with the bow in her hand. That is her connection to you, to her father. Because it was you who showed her how to play it at the very beginning, the violin and you, you are one. And when she misses you the most, there's nothing that could bring her closer to you than that said violin."  
"Miss Robbins", he started, taking a deep breath. "Arizona, I guess I can trust you with my daughter. Keep looking out for her."  
"That is a promise I can keep, Mister Torres."  
"Carlos", he said as we turned around, heading back to the studios.

**Callie's POV**

"Calliope?", I heard Arizona calling out for me. "I'm home."  
'Home? What happened to our little joke 'Honey, I am home'?' I packed the partly empty music sheets and the pencil away, caressed a few keys before I carefully closed the piano.

"There you are", Arizona said softly, leaning with her right shoulder against the door frame. "I brought someone with me."  
"You did? I am honestly not sure if dinner is enough to feed three people. Maybe, you can give me a heads up next time, before bringing Teddy or Mark over?"  
"Hello, mija", stepped my father next to her.

"Uh? Daddy?" I froze.  
"Calliope", Arizona began. "Carlos, would you please wait in the kitchen? I'd like to talk to Calliope alone for a moment."  
"Of course", my father answered and left us alone.

"Carlos? Arizona..._Carlos_? Are you serious? I mean, you can't be serious. That man called us so many names, disowned me in every possible way, threatened to take away this house. He wanted to drag me home – against my will if you remember. I don't have to tell you, that he showed up that one day, wishing you to hell in his own words, do I? We were both present. That man", I pointed out to the hallway, "made so many mistakes when I was a child and on top of that he is the reason I don't have a job anymore. And now you're what? All buddy-buddy?" I stopped my rant, filling my lungs with some precious oxygen.

"Calliope", Arizona tried to interrupt me.

"No, Arizona, just no. I don't know what he told you to get you on his side, but that is what my father was always pretty good at. Manipulate people."  
"I am not taking any side!", she said, raising her voice.

"Is that so? Well, then something is going very wrong because you should side with me, your girlfriend!"  
"Callie, it's enough", Arizona countered in a calmer voice. "If you want to scream at someone, he's waiting in the kitchen for you." Her facial expressions softened. "But please listen to him before you do that. If you still want to cut him out of your life afterward, I'll stand behind you and support you with everything I have. But please...please give him that chance. Not for him, but for yourself."  
My thoughts were practically running a hundred miles a minute in every direction possible. My inside resembled a battlefield. Arizona might have been right, but that man that calls himself my father, he did so much wrong...

"Calliope." She placed her hands softly on my cheeks and lifted my chin. Her intense blue eyes locked with mine, seeing directly through my wall. Where was she trying to go? My heart? Straight for my soul?  
"You don't understand, Arizona. You told me yourself, that your parents, your father, _the Colonel, _that they reacted in a whole different way. Aren't the US Army and the US Marine Corps against homosexuality as well as the church? And still, your father didn't treat you any different, because you are his daughter. That man over there-"  
"Has done more for your wellbeing, more to protect you, than just letting his money talk for him, Calliope. I am not saying that you should forgive him ten seconds into the talk, or that he could make anything undone by just hugging you, but if you do not at least listen to him, you are no better than any member of your judging family."

"You did not just put me on the same stage as that stubborn mule in our kitchen, now, did you?", I said, raising my forefinger.

Arizona's finger shot up as well, her big eyes staring me down with ease.

I inhaled and exhaled audible before leaving the room.

"Where are you going?"  
"To the kitchen. To my father." I knew I would see a smugly grin tugging in the corners of her mouth if I would turn around. I still couldn't understand how she did that. Every time we had an argument, I would be the loser in the end. But at one point, she was right: stubbornness was a major characteristic of every Torres family member. Though Arizona seemed to block all of these properties every time and then beat me with my own weapons.

* * *

"Daddy?"

"Calliope." He sat at the little breakfast bar and turned his head barely enough for me to see one side of his face. "You look really pretty with your new haircut, mija."  
"I am still the same", I stated immediately. However he would take in my words, was in his own hands.

"I know. Come, sit with your old father."

"Do you...uhm...want some coffee? Or something else?" I was too nervous for my own liking.

"Water would be nice. I should stay away from too much coffee."  
"Is everything okay with you, papá?"  
"Everything is just fine, mija. Your father is not twenty anymore and too much caffeine is simply not that healthy."  
"Nothing serious?", I asked again.

"Nothing serious, mi niña. You're not losing your dad so soon", he smiled reassuringly. "But I am not here to talk about me, Calliope."  
It was weird how different it sounded out of his mouth and it reminded me how much I didn't like my name all those years. "You abandoned me, daddy", I whispered and started to shift uncomfortable on the bar stool.

"Yeah, not one of my finest moments, I admit..."  
"Understatement of the century, don't you think?"

"I am truly sorry, Calliope. I...I know that a simply apology will not make it magically undone, but please let me tell you a few things. Please?"  
"Okay", I answered and poured myself a glass of red wine. I thought, I'd need that.

"Calliope, all my life, I did everything I could for you and your sister. You have to believe me. You may think, that I didn't want you home with us and that I'd only sent you away and not Aria as well. But it was for your own good. You still think that I sent you to the boarding school because you kissed that boy, Thomas Finnigan, do you?"  
I nodded.

"Well, maybe it's time for me to tell you the second part of the truth. Twelve years is definitely enough time. Thomas Finnigan was not the reason. Do you still remember Rebecca Miller?"  
I nodded again. Of course I remembered Becci. Captain of the cheer-leading team. Legs that went on for miles. Shimmering tresses that reached her hips. Light blue eyes. She was my best friend and a goddess – that is, if you'd ask my teeny self. Today? She'd never hold a candle to my beautiful Arizona. _Never._

"You two were practically joined at your hips. Not that I'd expected anything else from you. You always gave your heart and trust pretty fast and you always intended to keep those people in your life. I don't even know when it started. But one day I noticed a change in the way you looked at her. You didn't see her only as your best friend anymore, you kind of ogled her, stared at her. And it was not just Aria that saw you two kissing."  
My eyes widened.  
"Calliope, I wish, I had reacted in a better way and maybe listened to you when you were dealing with your first heartache. Because I knew it was not only that. You missed her so much because she thought something was wrong and avoided you ever since that day. But as your father, it was my priority to protect you. If your mother would have known, she'd probably sent you to a convent and let the nuns teach you until you could recite the Bible back and forth."  
"Okay okay. No, you know what? It is not okay. Because none of that justifies your behavior of the last weeks. Daddy, if you already knew back then, why did you react the way you did? Have you ever thought about how humiliating it was for me to hear you call Arizona everything you called her?"  
"When you told me, that you were actually married to George, I had hope. Call me naive, or stupid, but I had hope that I misjudged the situation back when you were young. And now, after all those years I had to face the truth and I didn't know how. Mija, I am your father, I want you to be happy. And if you being happy means that you are with Arizona, so be it."  
I felt tears welling up behind my eyes. Was that really my father? "Daddy?", I asked.

"Who am I to take away your happiness?"  
"Daddy!" I lost the battle with my emotions. The walls crumbled down and tears were running freely down my cheeks.

"She is something else, your Arizona."  
I could only nod in response as the words got stuck in my throat.

"I am sorry for reacting how I did, mija. Maybe, and I am not just saying it, maybe it was the very persistent influence of your mother over all those years."  
We sat there in complete silence for a good five to ten minutes. "Do you think, she'll ever come around?", I finally asked.

"Your mother is...her whole life long she lived by the rules of God and the church. She was raised according to those rules. Give her some time."  
"Time does not solve every problem, daddy."  
"No, but it's a big part of it."

* * *

**AN2: So, papá finally came around. But we're still dealing with Joanne and we will deal with Callie's Mom eventually. Like it? Or not? Let me know it. **

**AN3: Up next: a little more of Papá Torres, a little bit of Ari's past and oooooooooooh big surprise!**

**AN4: Yaaay, longest 'chapter' so far :)**


	22. Chapter 22

AN: So, here it is. Pheeew quite a flow going right now ;)

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**Arizona's POV**

I didn't want to be eavesdropping on them, at first. But to my own shame, I had to admit to myself that the curiosity was able to convince the majority of my mind with ease. And I was relieved that the talk went good, actually even better than I'd thought they'd manage. They were type A personalities with a very fiery Latino temper after all. Callie alone wasn't that easy all the time. But her father? If I wouldn't care about her that much, I would not willingly step between them.

But, I also had to admit that Carlos was really amazing today. He was nothing like the catholic and angry father I got to meet before. His voice was low and he just seemed to be calm all in all. Well, twenty years of experience how to talk to his daughter something I could not call my own.

I cleared my throat to make my presence clear. Callie turned around to face me with a smile. Even Carlos turned around. In his eyes – I may have been wrong – but I thought I saw some kind of gratitude that I couldn't even explain but I sure as hell was not going to question it. I could always need some good points on my side.

"Have a seat please, Arizona."  
"Uhm..."

Callie stood up and walked over to me. Her full lips breathed a soft kiss on my cheek and she whispered a barely audible 'Thank you' in my ear. Our hands touched for a split second, but I withdrew my fingers before she could intertwine them. Carlos had surely made some big steps, but I didn't want to ask too much from the head of the Torres family at one day.

"Love to", I answered and took a seat next to Callie who was now sitting across her father.

"Arizona", he started.

"Daddy", Callie interrupted.

"Calliope", he said in his stern voice, making all of Callie's words stop immediately out of respect for her father. "Arizona", he said again. "You're an actress, right?"  
"That's right, Sir."  
"Oh no, I think we're past the whole Sir thing", he answered. Nevertheless, you could not deny that he appreciated it, that I also answered him with the proper respect. "And have you always been ..?"

"Yes", I answered quickly.

"And your parents know..?"  
"Yes", I said again.

"And they do know about your relationship with my Calliope?"  
"Yes, daddy. They do. What is this? Another interrogation?"

"Calliope, it's okay. I understand him. He wants to protect the most precious thing in his life." And I thought the same about her. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. "Carlos, my parents know about me, about us and they are very happy for me. They'd love to meet her pretty soon."  
"May I ask, why they didn't until now?"  
"My father, Colonel Daniel Robbins, he's a retired Marine officer, but still attends some of the important ceremonies and he supervises the station in Northern California from time to time. That's where my brother was..." 'Please don't make me go there.'

"Your brother is an US Marine too?"  
"Was...", I whispered.

"Was? What is he doing now? I thought, it is like it is with God. Once a military man, always a military man."

"My brother, Sergeant Timothy Robbins died on a mission in Iraq three years ago, Sir", I said. Two pairs of eyes stared at me. One was the warmest brown I have ever seen and the second one was a mix of blue and gray.  
"I am very sorry to hear that, Arizona."  
Callie's placed her hand on my thigh, drawing soft patterns with her fingers on the fabric of my pants. Great, now I definitely would have to tell her about my brother. Hallelujah.

"If you'd excuse me for a moment, Carlos?"

He nodded and just as I was about to go upstairs I heard his voice, telling Calliope to go after me. I could have waited for her, but there was this big need to put at least one closed door between me and the resurfaced memories. Sometimes it was enough to just leave one room. Today, no such luck. As hard as I fought my tears, they won eventually.

The quiet creaking of the door told me that Calliope indeed went after me, before I heard her say my name. I shook my head. I wasn't ready to talk. If I would talk about it now, there was no way I could rebuild that wall fast enough to say goodbye to Carlos.

I felt her arms pulling me in and holding me tight. Her heart pounded in my ear. And to be honest, it was all I needed to not fall apart. Her unmistakable smell rose to my nose, and for a brief moment when I closed my eyes, there was only us. Her calm breathing, the steady beating of her heart and her hands still holding me close were calming me down.

"Okay", I said quietly and stepped out of her embrace. "Why don't you go back to your father? I'll be there in a minute."

"Arizona, you don't have to..."  
"I know. But I want to, Calliope. I just need another minute to freshen up a bit", I answered.

"Okay." She kissed my temple and left the bedroom, leaving me alone.

* * *

"I seriously can't believe that you never told me about that", she said loud and clear. Her father left a good30 minutes ago, going back to the hotel before he would leave tomorrow. That were the first words Callie had said to me ever since. Before, she'd just walked back and forth, driving me almost insane by doing that.

"How should I have done that? Between a good morning kiss and breakfast? 'Oh by the way, Calliope, my brother is dead because he tried to save two little innocent – not American - girls some idiot threw a hand grenade at? Because that thing would have torn them apart in no time'?" Her eyes widened in shock, but I went on. "All we got was a flag draped over his coffin. Over an empty coffin, because my brother was not in therefor there was almost nothing left of him to put in there. All we got was that stupid flag and his medals. How do you explain that to the woman you love?"  
"Arizona..."  
"No, damn it, Callie. I don't want your pity, that's not giving me my brother back. I also think that our relationship has already enough bumps for the short time it exists. So, sorry for not throwing my dead brother into the mix. It's been three years and there is nothing I can do about that. I can go home for his anniversary every year and support my mother. I can have a glass of Bourbon – or two – and sit outside on the patio with my dad and talk about the son and brother we lost. I can try to be the daughter they've always wanted, but I can never replace the loss of their son. I can't even fulfill all their wishes and dreams but I can do my best. That is what I can do, but I can't magically bring my brother back to us."

"When is it?"  
"When is what, Calliope?", I asked harsher than I actually wanted to.

"The anniversary", she asked.  
"Twelve days from today", I answered.  
"And when were you planning on telling me that you are going to visit your parents?"

"When...I...I don't know. I wouldn't have lied to you, but it's not something you can discuss between me going to work an dinner. It's just not that easy."  
"Do you want me to come with you?", she asked, looking me straight in the eyes.

"I cannot ask that of you, Calliope."  
"You _should_ ask that from me, Arizona."

"Calliope, how can I expect you to meet my parents under that circumstance? It's not fair to either of you."  
"Because you need me, Arizona. Well, maybe you don't and I am totally wrong here. But I think, right now is exactly the time were you should take a step back and let me be strong for you and were you should tell me to be there for you."  
"You'd really come with me?", I asked insecure.

"If you want me to be there, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."  
"It would be nice to have someone to lean on."  
"So, that's settled then. When does your flight leave?"  
"Huh?"  
"Did you want to drive all the way?", she joked.

"Uhm...actually, yes..."  
She hold her hand out for me and pulled me up from the couch. "Let's book a flight", she said, smiling softly.

"I love you", I whispered against her lips. My gaze switched between brown eyes and luscious lips that were so close, that I could almost touch them without leaning in. I closed the last gap between us and felt the tension leaving my body in an instant as our lips connected and I had to give in to a loving and sweet kiss.

**Callie's POV**

"Hey, are you okay?", Arizona asked me.

"Sure", I answered pretty fast.  
"Calliope", she took my hand. "Look at me."  
"Everything is fine, Arizona. Our friends are waiting in the living room", I answered and grabbed a few bottles of beer out of the fridge.

"And I can always tell them to go, if you want them to."  
"No. Here, take these and go, I'll be there in two ticks. And, just in case Cristina will ask: no Tequila today!"  
"Calliope..."  
"Arizona, please."  
"Okay." She left me alone in the kitchen and I took the time to take a few deep breaths. One could think, I had enough time on my own to do that when Arizona was on set, but right now I needed it even more. Today was the day. Today, I would die. I took a couple more breaths, then I walked into the living room. Whoever had the idea to watch the double episode special together at our home, well, he may rot in hell. Maybe it was Mark. Maybe Teddy. Maybe it was even Addie's idea because she still thought that I wouldn't do anything but mope around as soon as Zona's left the house every morning. Oh, if only she'd know. I was practically glued to my piano all the time. And if I was taking a break and the weather was okay, I jumped in my – our pool. Maybe I should pay someone to build a roof over it, no that I would be home more often.

"Here are some more bottles", I announced.  
"Perfect timing, it's starting", Lexie said, snuggling further into Marks arms. It was good to see them back together. Mark knew it was his last chance, but I thought he was more than happy to get one.

There was a jolt rushing through my body as I heard Jessica screaming out Sara's name.

"Hey Torres, that's quite the speaker you got there", Mark said after _Chasing Cars_ was over.

"Thanks", I answered quietly. For some reason, I liked it better when it was filling the living room with music instead of screams.

_'I asked her to marry me and the truck came out of nowhere.'_Arizona's last line led directly to the first commercial break.

Great. Can't we just get it over with?

"Calliope, your cell's ringing."  
"What?"  
"Your cell. It's ringing", Arizona said again, pointing at the coffee table.

'Callie, get yourself together.' "Oh, sorry", I said quickly, grabbed my phone and left the living room. "Torres?", I took the call.

"Hello. Am I speaking to Calliope Iph-"  
"Calliope Torres, yeah, that's me."  
"Miss Torres, my name is Bridget Manks. I'm calling from Mister Richardson's office."  
"Never heard of him", I blurted out.  
"Miss Torres, do you know 'Best of Broadway'?"  
"Of course."  
"Miss Torres, please correct me if I am wrong..."  
"Okay..?"  
"Is it right that you are no longer employed at Heartbeat?"  
"Yes", I answered, sadness most definitely audible in my voice.

"Miss Torres, Mister Richardson and I have seen a couple of your performances over the last few weeks. With excitement, may I add."  
"Miss..."  
"Manks, Misses Manks, actually."  
"Misses Manks, could you please tell me why you are calling me? And how did you get my number?"

"I called your agent first. Apparently, he was kind of busy, so I am calling you myself", she answered. "Miss Torres, we are the producers of 'Best of Broadway' since four years now and-"  
Right in that second my blonde angel walked into the kitchen and I somehow lost track of what Misses Manks was telling me.  
"Miss Torres?"  
"What? I am sorry, I was a little...uhm...distracted here for a second. What did you say?"

"Miss Torres, unfortunately Miss Menzel got injured during one of her rehearsals for 'Defying Gravity'. It is nothing too serious, she's pretty much alive. But she lightly cracked a vertebra in her neck and to avoid further damage, or possibly long term effects, we cannot risk having her perform on stage. So, Mister Richardson and I have been looking for a proper replacement for Miss Menzel, and I guess we agreed on who we want after you sang at Good Morning America. We want you."  
I didn't say anything.

"Miss Torres, are you still there?"  
I swallowed down the lump that was forming in my throat. "Yes", I answered. Arizona looked at me quizzically.

"Miss Torres, we need a rather quick decision form you. Premiere night is 70 days down the road. There is practically no time to waste."  
"Of course", I answered. "Misses Manks, would it be okay, if I'd call you back?"  
"When can I expect your answer?"  
"By tomorrow? Same time?", I asked.  
"Of course, Miss Torres. And I really hope that you'll have some good news to tell us then."

"Have a nice evening, Misses Manks."

"Thank you, you too, Miss Torres."

I put the phone down on the breakfast bar, staring at it as if I had seen a ghost.

"Calliope, what happened?", Arizona asked immediately.

I didn't move, I didn't say anything. I was still trying to wrap my head around it. Did that really just happen?  
"Calliope, please. Was that your father again?"  
I shook my head.  
"Calliope Torres, speak!", she demanded.

"Arizona, I guess, we need to talk.

* * *

"Just in case I didn't get it right. This Misses Manks just called you and offered you a job as a replacement of Idina Menzel – I repeat: _freaking Idina Menzel_?"

I nodded.  
"And you are thinking about whether to take the job or turn it down?"

I nodded again.

"And now please tell me again, why you are still weighing out the options? Instead of calling her back and asking where to sign the contract!"  
"Did you even listen to what I told you?"

"Of course I did, Calliope."  
"And did you understand, that I would have to pack up and leave within a couple of days? That I would not be here? Not here with you every day?"  
"What's the problem with that?"

I had no hard time finding some pretty good reasons. Joanne was one of them, actually, she made almost top of the list. Not knowing when I would be back took second place. But above it all was the sheer imagination of being apart from Arizona for more than just a few days.

"Look", she began, "I know that this is by far not what we both hoped for, but it is your chance, Calliope. And if you want me to, I'll come visit you every chance I get. Or you can come home any free day you'll get. Or maybe...what I am trying to say, that there is a way if we want to find one, Calliope. This chance, it's a once in a lifetime chance. You and me both know, that there aren't so many Misses Manks' or whatever their names will be, waiting and hoping for you to get rid of your stage fright."

'Yeah, another reason _not_ to take the job.'

"Zona, what's with your parents? The visit? We're flying out tomorrow noon. And you know how happy your mom is since she heard I was coming with you. Besides that, you need me and I just can't leave the life I have here just because of a phone call from this Misses Manks who's offering me a job everybody else out there would die for."

"We can still visit my parents. Tim's anniversary is the day after tomorrow. You can leave right after and you can even go from there wherever you need to go."  
"Sure. As if I would leave you alone right after. Of course, Arizona", I answered sarcastically. "But even if I would be that mean,what about the next months? Arizona, do you even know how long those tours are?"  
She shook her head.  
"Figured. The least is five months. And that really is the minimum of time. Two years ago, they've toured through random cities for eleven months. _Eleven_. Do you want us to be apart for eleven months?"  
"Of course not, Calliope. But it is such a big chance for you. Think about it. It doesn't happen every day. How many times have you heard about a replacement on such short notice, because the star cracked a rip, broke a leg, fell into a coma or whatever?" I practically saw the wheels turning in her head, repeating her own words. "Not that you are not good, Calliope. You know you are. You know I think you are. But still, the chances are pretty much nonexistent. And they called _you_!"

"I can't make that decision tonight."  
"Well, you don't have to. You asked for another 24 hours", she reminded me.

"And I will need them. Let's go back to our friends, please."  
"Okay", she said quietly. "But, Calliope?"  
"Yeah?" And before I could even react, her lips were pressed against mine in a passionate and hungry kiss and she was pushing me backwards. Within milliseconds my body trapped between the wall and Arizona.

"No matter how you will decide, I am so _so _proud of you", she said as she tore her lips away from mine. A big smile plastered on her face, dimples popping out, she walked back into the living room.

As I followed her, I could hear the first notes of _The Story _and I actually wondered if this could become my story.

"What are you grinning about, Robbins?", Mark asked. I knew that look everywhere. He was thinking about sex.

"Nothing", my girlfriend just smiled some more, turning her eyes back to the TV-screen.

"Let her be, Mark. Not all of us are born with their minds in the gutter", Teddy chided.

"Not all of us are a member of the Sloan family", I added and settled down next to Arizona. Still trying to sort out the thoughts that were running through my mind at lightning speed, I grabbed her hand, needing some contact. It was not that easy to clear my head with our friends around and all of us either screaming or singing on screen. But, focusing on the beautiful blonde next to me, there was one question more present than any other. Could I leave my heart behind for a job?

* * *

AN2: So, that's some news, right?

AN3: I hope you like it.

AN4: But...what happens now?


	23. Chapter 23

AN: Sorry, it took me a little longer :(

AN2: To all the nice reviewers out there: one of you said, that Arizona didn't seem to be too upset. She is...that was just me trying to write her as the good man in a storm without saying it again. Sorry I failed :(

AN3: Anyways: happy reading

* * *

**Callie's POV**  
Sleep didn't want to welcome me in its arms that night. I tossed and turned for a while from left to right, always in mind not to wake up Arizona. At one point I got up and out of bed, enjoyed a glass of milk and sat down behind my piano, but without breathing some life into the instrument. There were so many things going on in my head. Too many things to be honest. What should I do?  
I flinched as the lightning flashed right before the windows and enlightened the whole room. The following thunder jerked right through my whole body, still I welcomed it with open arms. Because, it distracted me for at least ten seconds. The next lightning shot through the window and put every other lamp to shame, it was that bright.  
"Will you ever learn that you cannot get out of our bed unnoticed, Callie", Arizona asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.  
"I didn't want to wake you."  
"I was already awake."  
"I am sorry."  
"It's okay I knew you would not be able to sleep. And by now I know where to look for you in case you're not coming back to bed for more than five minutes."  
"I'm an open book to you, huh?"  
"No", she said, shaking her head and letting blonde tresses fly gently around her delicate face. "I'm just watching you. You and your habits. And if you don't know what to do or there are so many things running through your mind and you can't sort them out, you're always looking for help in the only thing that has always been there for you, your music."  
"But now it is what's tearing us apart, I mean, in case I'll take the offer. That doesn't make sense to me."  
"Calliope, look at me."  
Hesitatingly I complied and turned around to face her.  
She smiled. "There they are. The most amazing brown eyes I've ever seen."  
I closed my eyes, leaning my cheek into the palm of her hand. I enjoyed the warmth of her skin on mine, the security that I connected with her touch. "I do not know how to make a decision."  
"Listen to your heart."  
"Then I'll stay. I'll stay with you."  
"That is not what your heart is telling you, Calliope."  
"Yes Arizona, it is. Because if I would go, I had to leave you behind and that is something I don't want to do. Not now. Not when my father somehow finally came around. It's all so perfect right now, I don't want to leave you."  
"Calliope, listen to me, okay? Can you do that? Just because we can't fall asleep next to each other at night, doesn't mean we are broken up. I may be here and you may be somewhere else, but, I have thought about that. You'll call Misses Manks first thing in the morning and ask her how long that tour will be. And when we know that we can think about the rest together. Things like, can we manage it and so on. I'd be lying if I'd say that I am thrilled. This house is pretty big and I wouldn't know what I would do here without you. Because, I am not used to that and yes, I would miss you a lot. And on top of that, it is your house. But when this season is finished, which is in a few weeks, I can follow you everywhere you want me to. I mean, I use the break for something good, right? And it would give us some time, possibly a little over two months."  
Her big blue eyes were shining so bright. Why haven't I thought about that myself? It was possible, wasn't it?  
"And I am sure that we can even find a solution for the time after that. As long as we want to, we can make it happen."  
"And what if it is too long? Your tour, I mean. What if we decide that it is too long and I turn that offer down? Or what if we think that we can handle that and we fail in the end? What do we do then?"  
"Well, we'll talk about that when that time has come."  
"But what if-"  
"Nothing, Calliope. No what if will give you an answer, Callie. Calliope", she corrected herself. "You and I, we can do that. And now, would you play something for me, Calliope? Please."  
I couldn't hold back the laughter that was bubbling up. "You're now thinking about music?"  
"I always think about music when I see you, Calliope. You are music to me. Your body is like a symphony Beethoven himself couldn't have written anymore beautiful. Your face, it's flawless, stunning like one of those notes you play on those beautiful strings with that bow. When your fingers play the piano in the way only you can do it, my whole body trembles with that melody. You are the music in me. Please, Calliope, play something for me."  
Every muscle in side of me, every fiber of my being seemed to soak in her words as if it would be the last thing she would say to me. "O-okay", I whispered, putting my ring-and middle finger down on one black and one white key and then I started to play.  
"Calliope!", she pouted. "For Elise? Seriously? Even I can play that, hell, even Tim could play that!"  
"Go ahead", I challenged.  
She took my hands and placed them down onto the keyboard again. "Please", she repeated and I started again.  
My fingers slowly built up some harmonies, forming them together into a melody until I finally realized that they were my harmonies. It was my melody. My last work. I'd scribbled the notes of that one down on the sheets sometime yesterday without even playing them. Only when it was finally finished, I had made them come alive. And now I was playing it for Arizona. Because, to be honest, she was the one I thought about while writing them down. She closed her eyes and I studied her face. Luckily I didn't need the sheets in front of me to play that song. The melody got slightly faster. The higher tones contrasted the deep chords as good as they could and I put some more notes here and there that were not on any of the sheets.  
As it reached the peak, I smiled. I let the music end slowly, almost fade out until my fingers stopped abruptly. "You...you are crying", I whispered.  
"It's...that...it was, Calliope. Look at this", she said, holding her arm in front of my face. I've got goosebumps everywhere. That...what's the name of that song?"  
"It...it doesn't have a name", I answered.  
"It doesn't have a name?"  
"I...I haven't found one, yet", I said in a low voice.  
"That is...you...you wrote this..?" She didn't end any of the sentences.  
"It's nothing special." What a lie. It meant so much to me. Not that melody, but Arizona.  
"Come", she said holding out her hand for me. "Let's go back to bed. We still need to pack and Teddy will pick us up at 1.30pm to take us to the airport."  
"You're right", I answered, taking her hand. Our fingers intertwined instantly and the smile on our faces matched.

**Arizona's POV  
**The downpour of last night had to give way for some rays of the sun and they played around the body next to me, making it glow. Her normally bronze like skin got a golden touch from it. Could this woman be any more beautiful? Drawn to her like a screw to a magnet, my fingers danced lightly over the naked skin of her back. Calliope might be the pianist in this relationship but I could play her body like I was born to do that. I stroke over the curve of her hipbone, up her body and down again. Over her upper arm and elbow to her forearm until I reached her strong fingers. Softly kissing her shoulder blade at first, I kissed my way back up to the back of her neck. The little hairs stood already on end. Oh yeah, I knew so well how to play her body, which buttons I had to push to make her feel good even when she was still asleep. "Calliope" I whispered, lightly kissing the soft flesh behind her ear. One of her weak spots. "Calliope", I said again, this time softly nibbling on her earlobe, sucking it slowly between my lips.  
"Callllliiiiooopppeee", I sang in a gentle voice and finally she started to move.  
"Mhmmmmm", she grumbled. "Arizona, what..?"  
Before she could ask her question I shoved my hand over her stomach and then between her legs.  
"Ah...Arizona", she got out between two breaths.  
"Mhmm, Calliope", I moaned against her skin. Her body had responded so wonderful to my kisses and touches. "Turn around," I breathed.  
She obeyed my request and a few seconds later our faces were mere inches away from each other. I pressed my lips against hers in a hungry kiss. Stroking the lower one with my tongue, she immediately parted her lips, welcoming my soft muscle in her hot mouth. While my fingers were the only ones dancing over skin, our tongues were in a pretty even duel for control. But today, I wouldn't give in. I slipped my hand under the waistband of her panties and dipped my index finger between her wet folds, finding the surge of her arousal in a heartbeat. God. If only we could stay like this forever.  
"Arizona", she exhaled.  
"Calliope." I swept my fingers in light circles over her throbbing clit, causing her to dig her fingernails into the skin of my back. Not too painfully, not too deep, but hard enough to leave some light crescent shaped marks. I didn't care though. I liked having a few reminders now and then _when_ her and I were to only ones to see and know about them.  
Every time my finger moved too close to where she wanted me most, I stopped and let him find the aching bundle of nerves again.  
"Arizona...please."  
"Please what, Calliope?"  
"Please", she said again.  
"What do you want, Calliope?", I asked in a seductive voice.  
"M-m-m-more", she stammered and even for that she needed a lot of concentration.  
I gave in a little, leaned into her and crashed our lips together. At the same time, I entered her with two fingers. A jolt went through her body and her muscles tensed up for a moment. As she relaxed again, I moved my fingers inside of her, curling them and finally thrusting deeper into her.  
"Oh GOOODD", she screamed.  
I pushed her onto her back and rolled on top of her, placing my legs between hers to add more force behind my thrusts.  
Callie's gorgeous body was writhing beneath me. Her hands were clenched into fists, clutching the bedsheets so tight that her knuckles turned white as I pumped harder into her, making sure to wake every little bit of her body.  
"Calliope, let go", I said between kisses.  
She understood and stopped holding back. And as I brushed my thumb over her very sensitive clit a couple times, burying my fingers even deeper inside of her, while I hold myself up with my other hand to have a better look at her. She was painfully close to the edge. Her lip was trapped between her teeth. Her breathing was pretty heavy, her nipples visible through the layer of fabric without me giving them some attention.  
"ARIZONA!", she screamed my name as her orgasm ripped through her. And then suddenly, nothing. Complete silence as her inner walls spasmed so tight around my fingers that I couldn't pull out.  
"Breathe", I whispered in her ear.  
A few seconds later she opened her eyes. "Well, now I am more than awake", she smiled.  
"Mhmm, that was my plan."  
"What time is it?"  
"Almost nine."  
"So...that makes it almost noon in New York. Not too early to make a call, right?"  
l only laughed in response, reaching out for the night stand to give her the cell phone. "You can always try."  
I watched her pushing a few buttons, then she held the small computer – because frankly, that's what Blackberries are – to her ear.

**Callie's POV**  
"Sullivan?" a voice said as the woman picked up the phone.  
"Uhm...excuse me? I actually wanted to talk to Misses Manks?"  
"Who's calling?"  
"Torres", I coughed. "Callie Torres."  
"Hang on, please", she said and suddenly 'Für Elise' could be heard.  
I chuckled at the memory of last night. Arizona was probably right. Everybody knew how to play this song, even if it was just the main tune.  
"What's up?", Arizona asked.  
"I think she's putting me through."  
Right that moment, I heard a clicking noise and shortly after that Misses Manks voice reached my ear. "Miss Torres, I didn't expect you to call that early. I thought you'd want a little more time."  
"Ugh, Misses Manks...I...I do have a question before I can make a decision."  
"Of course", she replied.  
"How...how long would we be on tour?"  
"Well, planned are six months, as every year. But unfortunately we can never guarantee that this will be it."  
"How's the chance that we will not be done by then?"  
"Considering the last four years, it's pretty big. In 2009 we had to extent the tour for another-"  
"Five months, I know."  
"Would that be a problem for you, Miss Torres?"  
"I honestly can't say. Could you answer me another question?"  
"Of course", she said again.  
"When would you expect me to be there? I mean, if I'd take your offer, when would you want me to start?"  
"As soon as possible, Miss Torres. We know – of course – that you cannot just leave your life, but...to prepare you for the show and to rehearse everything with you in it, we'd need the team to start in five, max six days from now. Aside from singing rehearsals we'll have fittings to arrange for you. Costumes and signs on stage you'd need to know and of course some press work to attend to.  
I swallowed. 'Press? As in conference?'  
"Miss Torres, can I expect your answer by tonight?"  
"You have my word, Misses Manks."  
"Miss Torres, may I give you just a little bait on your way?"  
At first, I only nodded, then my brain started to work again and I noticed that she could not see such a thing as nodding through the phone. "Yes..?" I asked insecure.  
"Because you would replace Miss Menzel, you'd be doing the Elphaba, among other roles, of course."  
'Fuck. Now, that's what I call a bait.'  
"I look forward to your call, Miss Torres.  
"Yeah, thanks", I answered and ended the call.  
"Calliope, you're pretty pale. What happened?"  
I took a deep breath and then I explained to my blonde everything I just found out.  
"So, five or six days. It's not...it's something, right?"  
"But it's never going to be enough time with you, Arizona."  
"Calliope, we talked about that already. We will talk about _time _when you made your decision", she said and got out of bed.  
"Why don't you make that decision with me?"  
"Because it is you future", Arizona answered and left the bedroom, heading for the bathroom, I assumed.  
"But _you_ are my future, too!", I yelled after her before I rushed out of bed as well and slipped through the door just in time to see her getting naked.

**Arizona's POV  
**"Calliope's got a job offer from 'Best of Broadway'", I said quietly to my best friend as we were waiting for her to come back from the lady's room.  
"What? When did that happen?"  
"The call came last night...while you were there, actually..."  
"Oh my God, Arizona! That's great, isn't it? I mean, it's such a big chance for her, right?"  
I nodded. "She didn't make a decision, yet."  
Teddy narrowed her eyes as if she was waiting for me to tell her it was a joke. "You're kidding, right?"  
This time I shook my head in response. "She would be away for at least eight months."  
"Oh...OH! But eight months...I mean, that's not like three years or something. You can practically count the days."  
"Well, that's what I keep telling her. But she says, that she doesn't want to be away from me for that long and to be honest, I more than understand that. I can think of a lot of things much better than her being anywhere and me being here. But, I don't think it's the only reason she's giving herself a hard time to even make a decision."  
"Huh?"  
"Joanne..?"  
"I thought she's, well, no issue?"  
"She isn't. But you and me both know it's better not to stay with your back to her if you like your life the way it is."  
"I do. But Callie doesn't. Or does she not trust you enough?"  
"Of course she does. It's not a question of trust. More...one of time. Eight months is a long time. Not too long, but still pretty long. And she won't even stay at one place. She could go to Africa, it would almost feel the same. We won't have that much time together and that sucks, like, a lot."  
"You didn't say that straight in her face, did you?"  
"Of course, Teddy", I said and rolled my eyes. "Because I want her to blame me for not taking the offer in the end. I may be blonde, but I am not stupid, Teds. I told her, that we can make it if we want to. Maybe a little more convinced than I truly am, but who am I to tell her to stay? Because I know, she would..."  
"My future, like I told you", Callie said.  
"Calliope", I jumped, startled by her sudden voice. "How much did you hear?"  
"Enough..."  
"I...I'll be over there and give you a few minutes alone", Teddy said and walked over to get some coffee.  
"Calliope, I..."  
"No, Arizona. You are always so great at giving speeches. Once you've started, there's no chance to stop you until we actually get on the plane. Now, let's do a little change. I'm the one talking and you'll be the one listening, got it?"  
"Got it", I mumbled.  
"If you don't want me to take the offer, you have to tell me. It's as simple as it sounds. If you want me to stay here in Seattle – here with you – I need you to say the words, because I can't read your mind. If you have worries or insecurities, talk to me about them and maybe we're insecure together in the end. Or...we're both not worried anymore, I don't know. You said, we're in this together, so act like it and don't shut me out."  
"I just thought, that..."  
"What did you think Arizona?"  
"I don't want you to think about me when you make that decision."  
"You are funny. I always think about you. So, I obviously can't block you out and think about me without you. I'm trying to come up with what's the right thing to do. But the point is: this isn't either black or white. It's grey. So, let's see together if we can live with any shade of grey?"  
"Okay", I smiled. God, I love this woman way too much for my own good.  
"You have to be honest with me."  
"I think...I think you should take the offer, Calliope", I answered with a strong voice.  
"Are you sure?"  
Silence.  
"Zona, are you sure about that?"  
"Yes...somehow? But somehow, I am not okay with the prospect. It's eight months and I can't be with you every day – hell, every week – for at least six of them."  
Callie just stared at me. I tried to read her face. Maybe I would see anger? Rage? Disappointment? Maybe joy? "Do you...uhm...want to take the job?"  
"I...I think I do", she answered but I could barely hear it.  
"Then that's exactly what you should do", I smiled at her.  
"I don't know if I can", she admitted.  
I wanted to say some more, but Teddy came back and interrupted us. "I'm really, _really_ sorry to be the one to rush you, but your flight's been called out. Last one, might I add?"  
"Thanks, Teddy", Callie said, taking our carry-on baggage. "And thanks for the ride."  
"No problem. You two are okay?", she asked me as Callie's ear were out of reach.  
"I think she made a decision."  
"Judging by the look on your face, she's taking it."  
I nodded.  
"Okay..?"  
"It's good. Really. And who knows? Maybe those eight months fly by and before I know it, she's back", I tried to lighten my mood.  
"Sure, Robbins. Of course they will."  
"Hey? You coming?", Callie hollered.  
"On my way! Thank you, Teds", I said while hugging her. "We'll see each other in five days."  
"Say hi for me to your mom and dad. And tell your mom, I want at least one slice of the best apple pie in the world."  
"Will do, sweet tooth", I teased her and hugged her once more.

* * *

"Calliope?", I asked softly. She had her eyes closed, her head leaned against my shoulder but I knew she was not asleep. Her breathing gave her away. It wasn't as calm as it was at night.  
"Hmm?"  
"Everything okay?"  
"Mhmm", she answered.  
"I don't want to fight..."  
"We're not fighting."  
"But you haven't said a word since we-"  
"I'm thinking, Arizona."  
"About what?"  
"Your parents", she answered.  
I took her hand, lacing our fingers together. My thumb brushed in soft circles over the back of her hand as I said: "You don't have to worry, honey. My mom will love you. My..._the Colonel_, he barks much louder than he bites. He's a pussycat behind that military mask."  
"They could be Minnie and Micky Mouse, living in their little Disney-house, I'd still be nervous."  
"But you are not mad at me?"  
"No, Arizona. Just, thinking."  
"Okay", I answered and let go of her hand just streaking some lose strands out of her face and tucked them behind her beautiful shaped ear. They were still too short to stay in place though. Eight months down the road they'd be much longer. But still, it was the right decision.

* * *

AN4: For those of you who want to know: when I wrote the piano part I had 'River Flows in You' in my mind.

AN5: So...decision made for good?


	24. Chapter 24

**AN: Meet the Rpbbins :D**

**AN2: Again, I don't own anything. How could I?**

* * *

**Callie's POV**

"Mom! Dad!", Arizona squealed. The large swing doors were opened by the passengers in front of us yet without thinking about it I could see who she was referring to. There was one pair of blue eyes piercing through the crowd that just had to be Arizona's father. Next to him stood a woman, slightly smaller than my girlfriend, still light blonde hair that, but you could make out a few grey strands. But what was unmistakable _Robbins _were those deep dimples in her cheeks as a smile spread across her face as she eyed her daughter. I let go of my girlfriend's hand, as the two hugged. She was just the spitting image of her mom, except for her eyes.

"It's good to see you, dimples", her father said.

'Well, never heard a better fitting nickname.'

Arizona first took a little comfort in her father's embrace before straightening up and standing next to me again. "Mom, dad, this is Calliope Torres."  
I held out my hand for a polite handshake, but before I knew what was happening, she pulled me in for a bone crushing hug. "Oh dear, in this family, we hug. And before you even dare to call me Mrs. Robbins, I am Barbara. And this is my lovely husband, Colonel Daniel Robbins."

"Miss Torres", he greeted me.

"Daniel!", Barbara scolded. "No worries, dear. He barks pretty loud, but he never bites."  
'Well, that sounded familiar.'

I heard the sweetest sound as Arizona laughed. Her father's handshake intimidated me though. But one look at her, and I was done for. I didn't know until then, that her smile could be even more magical.

"Come on, Calliope." She let go of my hand and I walked a few steps behind the happy family reunion. It was so good to see them together and with every word that was exchanged between mother and daughter it was getting more and more obvious who had a major part in forming Arizona's character to who she was today. Daniel was silent most of the time, obviously enjoying the presence of his only daughter on his own. And I could understand him so much. I didn't need anything else when Arizona was with me. I could lie next to her for hours without one of us saying a word. Well, maybe he was just used to his two Robbins-women talking so much that he just kept his thoughts to himself.

"Miss Torres, may I?", he asked, pointing to the suitcase standing at my feet.

"Of course, Colonel Robbins, Sir. Thank you", I, well, more stammered than anything else as he heaved the luggage into the trunk.

"Daniel! See what you've done to that beautiful woman with all your sternness", Barbara said laughing, making my girlfriend laugh as well.

I felt a blush creeping its way up to my cheeks. 'No, don't.'

"Calliope, do you like fish?"  
'So that's what Arizona meant as she said he may test some boundaries.' "Uhm...actually...it is...it's...my name...Callie, Sir, Colonel, Sir", I stammered again. I was making a fool out of myself by just trying to tell him I'd rather go with the short form of my name. 'Help!'

Arizona giggled again. "What she was trying to tell you, daddy, she doesn't like her name that much and goes by Callie. And now, would you please stop to frighten my girlfriend, I'd like to keep her around. Thank you", she said before getting in the car.

"You are not afraid of me, are you, _Callie_?"

"No, Sir", I said. My voice as firm as I was able to right now. Arizona may have seen through the white lie, may have heard it right from the start and even the Colonel seemed to question it, at least that's what his face was telling me. But luckily for me, he didn't say anything.

"Good", he answered instead and took his place in the driver's seat.

* * *

"Callie, Arizona told us you're an actress as well?"

We were sitting at the dining table, enjoying a very delicious dinner. Fish that still tasted, well, like fish but didn't have that pungent fishy smell anymore, was just perfect.

"Yes. We actually met at work. Uhm, at Heartbeat", I answered.

"What did your parents think about you choosing that way of life? That kind of work?", her father asked.

"Oh, uhm..."  
"Daddy!"

"It's okay, Arizona. My parents always supported me, Sir. And I am very happy they did."  
"Calliope went to Juilliard, daddy. You need to hear her sing!", Arizona gushed out. "Her voice is just...there are no words for that. What you would know if you would actually watch me on screen. Which, I know you don't because you don't like hospital shows."

"Arizona", I whispered.  
"Oh really?", Barbara Robbins said before I could stop Arizona. "Maybe she can sing something for us?"  
"Oh, I think...Mom, daddy, can I ask you something? Just...if you have any objections, you can tell me, it's just that-"  
"What is it, dimples", Daniel asked as if there was no way he could say no to his only daughter.

"Calliope", she turned to face me, her big blue eyes sparkling, but slightly hesitant. "Would you sing for us? Tomorrow?"  
"Huh? Arizona, I don't think that's appropriate. Really. It's-"

"I don't think our dimples would ask something like that from you if it wouldn't mean that much to her. What do you say, Daniel?"  
He looked at me intently. Did this man know, he could do this with these blue eyes. Then he nodded and turned back to his food. Barbara smiled at me lovingly and Arizona squeezed my hand affirmatively under the table. Not that that would help. I became increasingly nervous.

**General POV**

After Callie in fact had called Misses Manks for taking the offer, Arizona and she had a long and honest talk about what could and would be happening. But in the end, all that mattered was that they were going to try and make it through this. Despite the lack of time they would be together. Despite the ever changing cities Callie would be and despite the chance of an extension of the tour. They would try and they would make it. Arizona was happy Callie took the offer, well happy for her. It would do her good. She knew her girlfriend, hell, she loved her, she should know her. If Callie wouldn't have taken that chance, there would be at some point the worst question ever: what if?

"Calliope, sleep! I can practically hear you thinking", Arizona grumbled in a tired voice.

But that was easier said than done. She was wide awake, her thoughts still keeping her from falling asleep. After another five minutes she got out of bed. "I'll be right back. I just need to go to the bathroom", Callie said as Arizona took hold of her hand.  
"Okay", the blonde mumbled sleepily.

The Latina went downstairs and took the left way into the kitchen. A glass of milk always helped her calm down and both Robbins'-parents insisted that she should feel at home. "Oh I am sorry, Sir", she said as she noticed the dim light over the stove. "I...I didn't think someone would still be awake at 3am." If she was honest, the sight of Colonel Robbins startled her quite a lot and she was even more awake now. "I...I'll just go back to bed."  
"Nonsense, dear. Sit down", he said.

She hesitated.

"My wife was right, you know? I don't bite. Milk?"  
"Thank you, Sir."  
"It soothes, doesn't it? If I can't fall asleep, it's always worth a try. Sometimes I need some Bourbon, though. But most of the time, milk works just fine."  
He grabbed a second glass out of the cupboard, filled it and placed it in front of her before taking his seat again.

"May I ask you a few questions?"

She choked on her milk, blinking back the tears that had caused and then answered with a quiet 'yes'.

"I truly never watch that show my daughter works for, but from dimples – Arizona's calls and mails I do know, that she's playing a woman that loves women."  
She nodded.

"And you were her partner there, too?"  
She nodded again, not knowing what he was going for.

"And if I remember dimples' last mail, you're not longer working for that show?"  
"That's correct, Sir", she answered.

"And how do you intend to continue to earn your money? Please, don't get me wrong and don't take it personal. It's just that...I only have one child left and I am only trying to protect her. And after Joanne...obviously I can't rely on my knowledge of human nature alone anymore..."

Joanne. Callie didn't even know her that well and still she got angry every time someone uttered that name. "Sir, if you are trying to ask if I am with Arizona just because of her money, then my answer is no. My family has enough money and although I would not have to work a single day for the rest of my life", at least since her father gave her the trust fond back, she thought, "I am not used to just sit around and do nothing. I don't know how much you know about the circumstances, Sir, but I can honestly say and assure you that I love your daughter for who she is. How could I not? She's stunning. Beautiful. And I don't talk about the obvious things. Though, that's pretty gorgeous too. She's adorable and I couldn't love her more if I'd try. I would do everything for her."  
"I don't doubt that. Not in the slightest. I saw those little glimpses you gave my daughter today and if there's one thing I know, it's that look in your eyes. It's the same my wife and I have for each other for so many years now. But as her father, I want to protect my daughter from harm."  
"I can understand that, Sir, really. But please believe me when I tell you, that I don't intent to hurt her. The upcoming months won't be easy, but-"  
He interrupted her: "What are you saying?"  
"Oh...uhm...I got a job offer to be a part of Best of Broadway..." She explained the rest to him and all he did was nodding every now and then to show her that he was still listening. "And every time I think I can't do it, I think about Arizona and that she makes me so unbelievably happy because she trusts me. And that she has so much faith in me. And I know, it might sound crazy, but it helps me and takes away the fear."  
"Fear is one of the most reasons for people to stop living their dreams. They let their fear hold them back. When in fact it is so easy when you just see a bumblebee as the best example."  
"A bumblebee, Sir?", she asked.

"The wing area of the bumblebee is 0.7 cm². Their weight is 1.2 grams. According to the laws of aerodynamics, it should be impossible for them to fly. The bumblebee does not care and flies anyway..."

He looked at her and for the first time she got the feeling that he was not here to judge her.

"Callie, Arizona told us that music plays a big part in your life, that it was in fact all you had for a very long time. You should not listen to your fear." He got up, putting the empty glass in the sink. "And if you love my daughter just as much, I am sure you two will make the right decision."

"Thank you Sir", she said, giving him one of her megawatt smiles.

"I think it's pretty much okay if you would call me Daniel, Callie." He lightly squeezed her shoulder before leaving her alone.

She emptied her glass as well, thinking just a few more minutes about Daniels words before she got back to her room, slipping under the cover next to her girlfriend who was supposed to be sound asleep.

"You're as cold as ice", Arizona mumbled.

"Mhmm...you're warm." She snuggled herself closer to the blonde, burying her face into her back. "I love you."

**Arizona's POV**

It didn't matter how much time had passed since my brother had died and it still wouldn't matter to me after today. It would always hurt and I would always miss him. And time would not make it better.

Two years ago, when I first saw – not met, saw – Calliope, I wanted to call him and tell him about that breathtaking woman I was about to work with. He would have laughed at me, as always, and he probably would have told me that my chances would hardly be measurable if she was really so beautiful. But there was no one to call. I couldn't tell him anymore how happy I was right now. He couldn't see it. He was not here and I would miss him every day.

This year was different, though. It wasn't just me being there for my mom. Someone was there for me too. Calliope. The woman I never thought would give me the time of day – aside from working together. It was surreal. Of course, I had a healthy dose of self-confidence - thanks to Timmy - and yet I had the feeling she was completely out of my league. That is, until about two months ago, or so. Because now she was here, sitting beside me, holding my hand as the General himself called out the names of the ones that were no longer with us anymore. As he said Timothy's name, my whole body went stiff. Callie closed her hand even tighter around mine, as did the one of my mom. I would never get used to sit here waiting for his name to honor him. But maybe if the burning would fade away after a few more years.

I didn't notice that I was crying until Callie's thumb brushed over my cheek. Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on her. The familiar scent. Her steady breathing. And just for a split second, I could see Timmy smile before my inner eyes. Just a split second and the image was gone again, but it was enough for me.

"Come", she whispered, pulled me up and dragged me along outside the small auditorium into the entrance hall.

"Calliope, what are you doing? It's not over yet", I whispered back, though my voice was harsh.

She closed the door behind us and even before my brain could comprehend what was happening, I relaxed into the tight embrace.

"How did you know?"  
"I think I know you a little bit", she answered.

I mumbled a barely audible 'Thank you' as I pressed my face into the crook of her neck while her hands were stroking my back soothingly. With every breath I took, I felt the tension leave my body.

"You wanna go outside? I mean, we could always go back if you want to, but I don't-"

I interrupted her. "Love to", and squeezed the hand whose fingers were again intertwined with mine in that miraculous way I fell in love with.

"Tell me something about Tim?", she asked.

"He...he was my big brother. My best friend. My protector for the big boys at daycare and school. He showed me how I could defend myself. Hit fast and hit hard so you only have to hit once", I chuckled. "It's not easy to grow up with a name like Arizona, even if you are a military brat." I felt the small smile tuck at my lips at the memory of Tim trying to teach me how to hit. "He was my shoulder to lean on as I told him and my parents that I had a crush on a girl. He was...well he was simply Tim. He was proud to be the son of a Marine. Always wanted to follow my dad and step into his footprints, serving his land. He always said, when I'd finally find the right one I would dress up for and walk down the aisle, he'd be there, no matter what. He'd move heaven and hell if necessary. I always wanted him to be proud of his little sister, though I knew I was never joining the army or anything honorable for that matter. I miss him so much, Calliope." With the back of my hand, I wiped away the tears that were falling from my eyes. Damn tears. I didn't want to cry. I hated crying.

"Hey", she said softly, lifting my chin. "You wouldn't be you if you would not cry right now. It's who you are. And we would be – he is proud of you, Arizona."  
"I think he'd like you. He was so much like my dad. Hard and calm on the outside, but a teddy bear underneath. In fact, he was a little bit like you, too. He had a big heart and he didn't judge people. He even trusted a lot of people until he joined the army. But I guess, what you see out there would change everyone, right? And still, deep down inside, he was still my Timothy." And that sealed the deal. More and more tears kept rolling down my cheeks and my vision got blurry. Calliope pulled me in again, put her arms around me and just held me as close as possible. No words were said. There were no questions or answers needed at the moment. All I needed was her and I was so thankful that she was there, holding me and humming sweet little nothings in my ear.

* * *

"It's good to know that you have someone looking out for you, dimples", the Colonel said as he walked up to me. The ceremony had been over for a good 30 minutes before we even tried to make our way back to the car. Of course mom had to talk to the General, tell him, how touching his speech had been for her – as every year. To my surprise, we got home before it was getting dark outside.

"She didn't...she mustn't...I don't need..." Oh no. Three tries to get an answer out of my mouth and all went straight down to nothing. Smooth, Robbins, smooth. Thank you, daddy", I finally said, leaning against the door frame and staring into the living room at my beautiful girlfriend. Busted, I guess.

"I know you can manage that just fine on your own, Arizona. But we all need someone to hold us from time to time. Someone who knows you and can tell what's better for you when you can't see it."  
I wanted to argue, but I knew better. There's no reason to interrupt the Colonel.

"Calliope – and please don't tell her I called her that", he said with a light grin on his face, "she's good for you. Better than good, actually."  
I nodded. He had no idea how good it was to hear those words from him.

"If you're smart, which I know you are, you'll do anything to keep her around."  
"I'll try, daddy."  
"Even though you'll have to spend the better part of the next months apart?"  
"I'll only have to try harder."  
"It's not going to be easy, Arizona. You know how much it got to your mom and I when I was transferred to another station and you had to stay behind because there were always things that needed to be sorted out first."  
"But you made it every time. And that's what counts." My gaze fell inevitably back to Callie. As she sat there and talked with my mother as if they knew each other forever. No sign of the initial nervousness.

"Well, I think a very nice young lady promised to sing something for us", my dad said as he went past me into the living room.

Even from where I stood at the threshold, I could tell immediately, that Callie's body went stiff. It was always the same. If she would only see how amazing she was.

"Oh, you're right, Daniel!", my mother squealed.

"It's all yours, Callie." My dad pointed to the little very old piano in the right corner.

"Oh daddy I don't think that will do her justice. When was the last time someone took a look at it? Ten years ago?"  
"That's not a problem. I...I don't need a piano, Arizona."

"Maybe you'll just give it a try, Callie. I think our little dimples will be surprised."  
I watched with a smile as Callie sat down on the little stool in front of the piano and opened up the lid to reveal the beauty of the black and white keys. It was as if it would breathe a new life into her, and vice versa.

"Uhm...do you have any requests?", she asked my parents. As they just shook their heads, she asked me the same question but I said 'no' as well. "Okay", she exhaled. Her fingers caressed the keys a few times without producing any sound. I knew she had a song in mind. Now, I was just waiting.

As the first deep notes rang out through the living room, I felt big butterflies flutter through my entire body. My parents would finally hear what was fascinating me for weeks now. As Callie closed her eyes, I did the same, knowing that I would possibly be crying in the end.

More notes came alive under the touch of her fingers and just before I could hear her voice, goosebumps were covering my skin from head to toe. It was as if everything inside me would know when she would finally start to sing.

_Who can say for certain  
Maybe you're still here  
I feel you all around me  
Your memories so clear_

The first syllables had come out as a whisper, her voice a little deeper than it normally was. I guess, that just doubled the effect, because I instantly held my breath.

_Deep in the stillness  
I can hear you speak  
You're still an inspiration  
Can it be  
That you are mine  
Forever love  
And you are watching over me from up above_

Fuck. Her voice had gotten clearer and now she had me. Completely. I felt my tears welling up behind my eyes and one look at my mom told me, that she had a really hard time to keep up the wall.

_Fly me up to where you are  
Beyond the distant star  
I wish upon tonight  
To see you smile  
If only for awhile to know you're there  
A breath away's not far  
To where you are_

_Are you gently sleeping_  
_Here inside my dream_  
_And isn't faith believing_  
_All power can't be seen_

_As my heart holds you_  
_Just one beat away_  
_I cherish all you gave me everyday_  
_'Cause you are mine_  
_Forever love_  
_Watching me from up above_

I looked over to my dad and even he wasn't the hard faced Colonel anymore. With a smile on my face I watched him taking my mothers hand. I guessed, Callie could have done everything wrong over the past two days, they'd still love her right now.

While her voice had matched the deep notes coming from the piano in the beginning, she had continuously built up a harmony of deep and high notes by now. Her voice so clear and a pure contrast to the low key melody. There was practically no chance for me to get rid of the shiver that was running down my back.

_And I believe  
That angels breathe  
And that love will live on and never leave_

_Fly me up_  
_To where you are_  
_Beyond the distant star_  
_I wish upon tonight_  
_To see you smile_  
_If only for awhile_  
_To know you're there_  
_A breath away's not far_  
_To where you are_

_I know you're there_  
_A breath away's not far_  
_To where you are_

The last notes faded away and left us in complete silence. As she got up and turned around, she was met by three pairs of Robbins' eyes, staring at her. I hadn't even move an inch while she had been playing. Hell, I wasn't even sure if I had been breathing.

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw the first movement, noticing it was my father. Two or three of his large steps and he stood in front of Callie, not saying a word. My father, _the Colonel_, speechless. There were no words that could begin to describe what just happened in this house. And so my father did the only thing possible. He put his arms around her, showing his appreciation as good as he could.

Maybe she didn't know who Tim was. Maybe she didn't know my family that much. But today, not three minutes ago, she won the heart of every member of this Robbins family – including Tim.

* * *

**AN3: To be honest, I am not too happy with the last part. Think it's kinda bumpy. But as you all know by now, English is not my first language so I'll try as best as I can here.**

**AN4: The song's called "To where you are" by Josh Groban. I thought that would be a great song for Callie to sing for the Robbins'. With her higher voice and the low keys...**


	25. Chapter 25

AN: Thanks you guys for the reviews! I appreciate them so much...by now, we're 110 pages into the translation. Guess, I shoud work on the German story as well at some point, right?

Anyway, I am so happy you like it :)

* * *

**Callie's POV**

Usually, as soon as I fell asleep, someone could throw a bomb on me. You could tear down my house while I was lying in my bed. There could be a world war going on outside my bedroom. I would sleep through all of this as long as my body thought I was still tired. Even though I had to be up and awake at the crack of dawn almost every day over the past six years – which was so not easy because there were never any sun rays shining through the blinds at that ungodly hour – I had no sleep schedule whatsoever. My body simply refused to get one.

But now I jerked up in the middle of the night, wide awake because the small body next to me was not sound asleep and calm as it used to be at night. The covers were on the floor and Arizona was kicking and thrashing around.

"Zona?", I asked carefully.

Nothing. No answer. No reaction.

"Arizona?", I tried again. Hovering above her, I could see her face, pain visible all over her normally peaceful expression at night.

And then, all of a sudden, a scream. Not too loud but loud enough for me to know that something was definitely wrong. "Arizona", I said in a firm voice, gently shaking her shoulder to wake her up. Maybe that would do the trick.

No such luck.

Her face was still distorted in pain and she was biting her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. "Arizona Robbins", I said loud and with the next attempt of shaking her body – stronger than the first time – she finally woke up. Her eyes shot open and she stared at me like she was a deer caught in the headlights.

My first thought was to stay calm. The panic that showed in Arizona's eyes was enough for everyone present in this house tonight. As I put my arms around her, she tensed up for a moment and then she tried to push me away. I had no idea why, I just knew I would not let go. "Ssshhh", I hushed and then I started to hum. Just lightly and softly into her ear to calm her, soft sounds found their way over my lips. Barely audible if she would not have been in my arms right now. At some point, they turned into a melody and after a light kiss to her temple I started to sing the soft words:

_Hush now, my baby  
Be still love, don't cry  
Sleep like you're rocked by the stream  
Sleep and remember  
My lullaby  
And I'll be with you when you dream_

I waited for a moment. She was almost motionless lying in my arms, her face pressed into my chest, hands and knees curled into her own body. "I am here for you."

I thought I felt a soft nodding against my chest, but chances were that I was wrong or that it was just wishful thinking. An imagination because I hoped she would notice I was there.

Her fingers clenched at the neck of my shirt. I've never seen her this vulnerable, this fragile. "Don't be scared. I am not letting you go. I am here for you." I rubbed soothing circles on her back with my hand, still trying to calm her down. With my other hand I held her as close as possible until her breathing evened out a little.

Puffy blue eyes looked up at me, her lower lip still trapped firm between her teeth.

"Hey, don't..." I whispered, kissing both corners of her mouth. All I wanted to do was ask what was wrong with her. "Come here", I said and moved impossibly closer to her. There was no air between our bodies as her tears dropped on the skin of my cleavage. And that's how we stayed for a while. I didn't know how much time passed by until she was asleep again.

Still, I didn't trust the peace enough to let go of her. What if I would not wake up the next time? What if I was not there to wake her up? So I tried to lay beside her. Awake, but not moving.

* * *

"You call me as soon as you land, right?", Arizona asked me.

"Of course, Zona." We were standing in the middle of the airport. In just a few minutes I would have to leave her and the life I knew and loved so much here in Seattle for a long time. Well, partly, at least. I fumbled with the silver heart on my necklace. Under Arizona's black sweater disappeared the white golden counterpart. She surprised me with the necklace last night as I was packing the last few things I would need in New York. Damn. I didn't want to cry. I didn't want to leave her. But I made a decision. "And you promise to call if you can't sleep, okay? Or if you wake up and miss me too much and can't go back to sleep."  
"I promise", she smiled.

After the incident of the one night at her parents' house where I got little to no sleep, she'd filled me in about the nightmares she had every once in a while. They were about her brother. She said that in her dreams, she could see her brother lying in the coffin as he was brought home. It was always the same dream, the same pictures but she couldn't get rid of them. Not yet. Maybe someday.

"You have to go." She lowered her head.

"I know." I tried to look her in the eyes. "Hey, for now, it's only four days until you're coming to New York too. Even if it is just for the weekend, you'll be there with me."  
"I know." She lifted her head and gave me a weak smile – even if it was pretty forced. "Will you call tonight and talk to me until I fell asleep?  
"Everything you want, Zona." That was something else that started that night. I tried it the night after and we found out that she slept pretty good. Calm and better, she'd said. And somehow we settled into a routine with it.

"Everything? Oh well, I think you shouldn't make a promise you can't keep, Calliope", she teased and winked at me. Her hands grabbed the collar of my leather jacket. She suddenly pulled me very close to her. "Hands off Kristin Chenoweth", she whispered and I couldn't contain the laughter.

"Don't worry. There's only one perky blonde for me in the world."  
"I am not perky", she pouted.

"Mhmm, you're not? What if it is the one thing about you I love the most?"  
"Then...you're not playing fair!" She stood up on her toes and leaned towards me. "See you in four days", she said before breathing a chaste kiss on my cheek.

"Hey! Not so fast, missy", I held her back as she was about to let go.  
"Callie, you have to go."  
I didn't answer with words. Instead, I grinned and kissed her. One hand firmly at her neck, the other tangled in soft golden locks. The kiss deepened pretty fast and we both broke away as the need for oxygen became too much to bear. My right thumb found a slightly bruised bottom lip to stroke and made its way over to a flushed cheek. My left hand slid down her arm and our fingers touched as long as possible until it only were the tips that were still connected to each other. Finally, I had to let go and left for the secure area of the airport.

Arizona's POV

'Turn around. Please, turn around.' I exhaled in relief as she followed my silent plea, giving me a stunning smile and showing her perfect white teeth. Four days...

When I couldn't see her anymore, I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and pressed speed dial number two – number one obviously belonged to Callie – to call my best friend.

"Blondie, mission accomplished?"  
"Sloan? What are you – no, stop, never mind. I don't even wanna know. I thought you were with Lexie and that you were happy?"  
"Robbins, slow down. I was just helping teddy bear with the-"  
"Whatever, Sloan. Is Teddy around?", I interrupted him.

"Hey, Altman! I've got Robbins on the phone for you", he yelled.

When Teddy was finally on the other end of the line, I asked: "Why is Sloan picking up your phone?"

"Uhm, why not? I'd know your call out of a thousand."  
"Ugh, please tell me you changed my ring tone and there's _not_ that children song playing anymore every time I call."

"Hey! Ducktales are cool", she protested.

"Whatever, Teds", I answered. "Listen. Tonight. Pizza and beer at my place. I'll get some movies and the drinks, you'll bring the pizza, deal?"  
"Deal! Even though I know you're only suggesting a movie night today, because you just dropped Callie off at the airport and you don't want to be alone tonight."  
"Hey, no one's forcing you to spend some time with me", I grumbled. Great. Calliope's flight didn't even take off and I was already in a bad mood.

"I'll be there. Henry's watching football with Mark, so I'm free anyway."  
"Sloan and Henry? The two of them have as much in common as Yang and I."  
"Maybe. But since Mark is back together with Lexie and he's trying to change some of his habits, he's okay."  
"But he's still Sloan", I stated. Don't get me wrong. We got along quite okay seeing that he used to sleep with my girlfriend. But some things were simply not okay, and sleeping with random girls at work, 'nurses' or 'patients' was not okay. "Any movie requests?"  
"Your choice, Arizona. But I have to be on set somewhat around 7pm and my car's at the workshop...again. I'd ask Henry if he'd pick me up and drop me off at yours, but-"  
"Got it, Teds. I'll pick you up. Say, 7.30?"  
"Perfect", I heard her smiling through the phone.  
"See you later", I answered, hung up and looked at the clock. Yay, fifteen minutes had passed. God, the next four days would probably be more like four weeks.

* * *

I pulled into the parking lot in front of the studios, turned off the engine and got out of the car. I was five minutes early and as much as I _loved_ the play list Callie put on my iPod – because they were our songs, today and especially right that moment it was the wrong kind of music. I leaned against my car and held my face in the last sunrays of the day. At least the weather was nice.

"Hey, Zoney."  
'Ugh...' "Joanne."  
"So it's true? She left you?"  
I was not even going to dignify her comment with a blink of my eyes.

"Guess you weren't pretty serious when it's already over and she even flew from this city. At least, that's what I've heard. Guess, your love wasn't big enough", she taunted.

'Stay calm. Just ignore her.'

"Do you want to...blow of some steam? You know our sex was always damn hot if one of us was frustrated or angry. You could push me up against the nearest wall, having your way with me."  
"I am not interested what you heard or if you can't hear anything at all, Joanne."  
"Oooh, it still hurts, doesn't it? Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me. The locker room next to yours", she winked at me.

"Grrr."  
"Sorry, sorry, sorry!", came Teddy running towards me. She didn't know that she probably saved Joanne's sorry ass. "Was that Joanne?"  
"Yeah", I growled.

"Oh wow, someone's in a good mood. What did she do now?"  
"Made some inappropriate and unwanted comments, like every day. God, I'm so glad she'll be gone after this season."  
"Uhm, yeah...about that. Arizona, there's something I have to tell you."  
"What is it, Teds? You're normally not one to stutter and stammer. I've never seen you like this since I know you and that's like...well, all my life!"

"They extended her contract", she mumbled under her breath.

"WHAT?" That must be some shitty joke that was going on right now. Maybe there was a camera filming or I got punk'd, or...whatever? But seriously, they couldn't be serious about that.

"And before you ask: yes, it's true. No bluff, no joke, whatsoever. Joanne came in this noon, telling the whole crew – whether they wanted to hear or not - that she just signed for another season. Well, the whole crew except of you because you were not there."

"Ugh...I really hate my life right now."  
"Longer than five minutes this time?", Teddy teased.

"Ten minutes at least!", I answered, sticking out my tongue. "This day practically screams for some pretty good wine. Or two. Or even better: Bourbon." I watched her from head to toe. "You seriously have to keep me away from any strong liquor until Callie made her call, got it?"  
"Got it."  
We got in the car and drove home. Well, to my place. To the big and pretty silent house. God, I hated it already.

**Callie's POV**

"Miss Torres! Over here!"

I turned around to find the source of the male voice . It took a while, but I finally discovered a big man who was probably in his forties. In his hand he held a sign with my name on it. My full name – might I add.

"Misses Manks sends her apologies and told me to tell you she'll meet you tomorrow morning at the New York Theater where she'll introduce you to the rest of the crew", he said.

"Oh...okay?", I shrugged. 'Wow Torres. So polite! Your parents taught you better than that. At least, your father did.'

"My name is James and I am here to pick you up and drop you of at your hotel. And from tomorrow on, I'm going to pick you up every morning and night. So, if you would please follow me, Miss Torres."  
"Of course." 'James? Seriously? Cliché number 1: confirmed.' "What time should I expect you to be there?"

"I'll be waiting for you sometime around 8.30 tomorrow, I hope that is not too early for you, Miss Torres?"

'As if I'd have a choice...'

He held out his hand invitingly and tried to take my case, but I politely declined. "It's okay. I can handle that on my own just fine."

He nodded. "Misses Manks and Mister Richardson think highly of you."  
"They don't know me", I shrugged again. I didn't want to sound rough, this day was just getting its toll on me.

"Not in person, that is right. But I can tell you that the two of them do not make decisions lightly and they did their homework. To find a replacement for Idina Menzel seemed almost impossible, but now you're here."

"So I assume, you know Misses Manks?"  
"Well, I should. I've been married to her for two years now."  
"Oh..."  
"I know what you are thinking. You think I'm standing in the shadow of my wife's career. Like everyone else, I guess. But it was clear right from the start, that she will be the one that will have a great career. She had a goal, an ambition." He glanced at me. "And I've always done everything to support her."

"So, you two know each other for a few years now?"  
"I like to think that we fell in love at the playground when we were five and three years old. The reality is something else, but we know each other for a very long time."  
"That is so sweet", I beamed and smiled for the first time since I touched down in New York.

"It is. Indeed."  
"May I ask you then, why you are married for only two years now?" I was just too curious for my own good sometimes.

"You may. We've never believed in papers and marriage. I don't need a document to prove my love for her. Nor does she need my vows to know that I'll stick to her for better and for worse."  
I nodded.

Marriage itself is no guarantee that it lasts a long time and or that it is the real deal. When I thought about George, it was my last try to be with him_._ Not exactly the right reason to marry someone. "What changed your mind about?"

"Our twins."

"Oh, a pretty good reason", I answered and smiled some more.

"Will Miss Robbins come here and visit you?"

"I...uhm...where...how...oh-"  
"Miss Torres, I really hope for you and my wife that you are actually able to form words on stage", he laughed. "We're here." He opened the car and heaved my luggage in the trunk. Then he held the door open for me. "Here you go."

"Thank you."  
He sat down behind the wheel and started the engine. "It is okay if Miss Robbins is going to visit you here. My wife made it very clear though, that your rehearsals have to be your priority."  
"Of course. Though I do not have a schedule yet, but I guess that will be taken care of tomorrow?", I asked. "And Ariz- Miss Robbins and I know that we have to stay professional. We're kind of used to it."  
"My wife will be very pleased to hear that", he said with a wink.

"Oh, I bet she will", I laughed. I spent the rest of the ride in silent. Not because I had nothing to talk about or to ask. Everything around me was just so different. I missed the streets of Seattle. I knew my way around in the streets that were my home for the past six years. I even missed the rain. But most of all, I missed Arizona. Her warm body. Her calming words I could really need them right now. Here, I had nothing.

* * *

It was short after midnight when I was finally checked into my hotel room. That meant at home it was around nine. 'Not too late to make my call, right? No. That was still a reasonable hour to call your love.'  
"Calliope?", Arizona picked up the phone after just one ring.

"Hi", I breathed. I could manage ten hours without missing her, but I'd rather not. And to know, that I would not fall asleep next to her tonight, not even see her in the morning, made me miss her voice even more now.

"You made it save? You didn't just land, did you? Your flight took off hours ago!"  
"No", I answered and shook my head even though there was no way she could see that. "But James picked me up straight from the airport and brought me to my hotel."  
"James?"  
"Ugh, yeah...obviously, he's kinda my driver."  
"How's New York?"  
"I haven't seen that much so far. But I miss Seattle. I miss you."  
"You're gone for barely five hours, Calliope", she laughed.

"So? That means I can't miss you already? Okay..." I put some things I would need in the morning in the bathroom.

"Callie, you know I didn't mean it that way."  
"Mhmm...what are you doing?"  
"Ted's here."  
"Teddy?"  
"Yeah. I...I didn't want to be alone all evening, so-"  
" I am gone for barely five hours, Arizona", I mocked.  
"Okay, you got me", she mumbled. There was silence for a minute or so before she asked: "When do you start tomorrow?"  
"Ugh...James will be here at half past eight."  
"Pretty early, huh? What's Misses Manks like? Is she nice? She sounded nice on the phone."  
"I haven't met her yet. I just met her husband."  
"Wow? Is she trying to make you her new best friend or something? Should I tell her that Mark and Addie will put their feet down on that one?"  
"James is her husband", I laughed. "But now that you've mentioned Mark...is it true?", I asked and started to brush my teeth.

"Is what true, Calliope?"  
"Joanne?", I asked, rinsing my mouth from a little toothpaste so she could understand what I was saying. "Mark texted me that she signed up for another season...that they wanted her to sign up."  
"Ugh", Arizona grumbled as I refocused on my teeth. "You have no idea! I swear, she came straight from hell to be a pain in my ass. Maybe she's related to Erica? Do you know if they're cousins or aunt and niece? You should have seen it. She's so sure of herself and thinks she's irresistible or something. Teddy said, that she practically rubbed it in that they begged her to stay longer than planned. And that she is soooo grateful for that."  
I laughed out loud. "I don't know about the Erica part, we never got to the family talk, actually. And for everything else: don't let her get to you?"  
"Never. You know me. I am a Robbins."  
"You are my Robbins", I corrected her.

"Mhmm. As long as you'll have me", she whispered but I could hear her loud and clear.  
"Forever", I answered.

"I hope so. But you should go to sleep now. At least, try and get some sleep. You have a big day ahead of you."  
"I thought I should tell you stories until you fall asleep", I reminded her.

"Not tonight. Tonight, you need a good rest. You want to make some good impressions, right?"  
"Oh. So, tomorrow is more important than the upcoming weeks and months? And it's more important to make a good impression on the first day and the other days are not important?", I teased. I knew that was not what she was trying to say.

"Tomorrow is more important. Should I call and wake you up? Or do you think you'll hear the alarm?"

"The hotel service will make sure of that. Enjoy your evening with Teddy, will you?" I took one last look around. My clothes were laid out for tomorrow, light switched off in the bathroom and I was ready for bed.  
"Mhmm, I can't promise that, but I will try", she answered. "Calliope?"  
"Hmm?"  
"I mean it. Hands off Kristin Chenoweth!"

"Don't worry, honey. Good night, Zona", I said as I snuggled myself deeper under the blanket.

"Good night, Calliope."  
I hung up the phone and connected it to the charger before placing it on the nightstand. No matter when sleep would finally come over me, tomorrow would be here in no time. Though I would bet my house, there would be days when time would not pass by as fast as I would want it to.

* * *

AN2: The song's from the prince of Egypt - River Lullaby.

AN3: Oh, don't we just 'love' Joanne?

AN4: Up next: oooooooooh meet the crew! Yaay!


	26. Chapter 26

**MAJOR AN:**

**This chapter holds a little violence and hints of 'sexual abuse'. So please just skip this chapter if it triggers anything. I don't want to be the cause that someone feels bad, really. That is not my intention.**

AN: I don't own anything. Not the characters and the people I put into this chapter/story.

AN2: This chapter is a little shorter than the ones before...but that where it ended in the German version and I liked to leave it that way.

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

"It is really astonishing what one simple call from that insanely hot girlfriend of yours can do to you. How your face lights up and how fast that stupid grin appears on your face", Teddy teased.

"Huh, you're just jealous", I countered.

"Nope. I do not give a damn. I have Henry."  
"Who is spending his evening with Slo- OW!", I cursed as a pillow hit my arm.  
"You were very happy that I was free tonight", she reminded me.

"I don't know what you are talking about", I laughed.

"You are such a bad liar, Robbins. Which is okay – now. But do you remember how many times you got us into trouble? I honestly lost count on how many times we got busted just because you were not able to lie to your parents and make them believe that you were spending the night at my place."  
"Easy for you to say. I had to lie to the Colonel", I defended myself.

"And you failed every time", she laughed. "How is it even possible that you are an actress nowadays?"  
"Hey! I am a good actress. Awesome. Amazing even. You just know me too well and too long, Altman. Maybe I should go out and look for a new best friend?"

"Sure. What about Joanne?" Teddy barely got the sentence out before she bent over, laughing so hard that she had to hold her belly. Next thing she noticed was the pillow she'd previously thrown missing her head by just a few inches.

"Hey! Not nice!", I pouted.

"No, but very funny." She was still laughing.

"No!" And before she knew it, pillow number two was on its way, hitting her square in the face. Now, I was the one laughing at her. "Serves you right."  
Within a split second she turned dead serious. "Okay, Robbins. You asked for it. Revenge!"

I couldn't even get my brain to work through her words as the next pillow hit my stomach and just a moment later the living room resembled a war zone: pillow fight!

It was like we were suddenly fifteen again. None of us gave in or showed mercy for the other. Just...we were not fifteen anymore and our stamina was lacking pretty bad. And so we succumbed to our exhaustion and flopped down on the couch again after no more than twenty minutes – completely worn out. "Oh my God, I'm getting too old for this stuff", I laughed.

"Oh yeah. Poor Arizona is turning forty this year!"

"Unlike you, I will be hot 31 years old in a few weeks, old lady. Whereas you my dear, are almost 37 years old."

"I don't care. My butt's still firmer than yours", she teased.

I stared at her. Mouth agapeand disbelief in my eyes. "Take that back!"  
"It's time to face the truth, Arizona."  
"I think I just found your next birthday present. It's perfect. A new mirror, because your current one seems to be broken. Or did you get yourself one of those mirrors you see at the fairs? One of those that make you tall and slim?"

"Funny, Robbins. Really funny."  
In my eyes, it was indeed funny. Teddy was always good at distracting me if I needed a little fun in my life, just like today. I honestly hadn't thought about Calliope being in New York once for the past half hour or so. Well, that is, until now, but 30 minutes are 30 minutes, right?

"So what are we going to do about Joanne?", Teddy asked.

"There's nothing we can do about that."  
"Do you want to sit here and wait until there is something to do about? You and me both know, that waiting is not the best thing to do when it comes to Joanne. Actually, it is nothing you should even consider!"  
"I don't want it to escalate as long as there is nothing to talk about. I think it should be possible to act like the adults we are and be civil with each other at work. I don't have to like her outside the studios."  
"We're still talking about the same Joanne, are we?"  
"Teddy-"  
"No, Arizona. You can't just wait and watch until she actually does something and tries to ruin your life again. Well, I won't, that's for sure. So, what are we going to do about Joanne?"  
"She can't ruin my life again, Teds. She's not holding that power over me anymore. That was years ago and I was in love with her then. And if everything else didn't, that part has changed. I don't love her."  
"You know that she doesn't care about that part, right?"  
I nodded.

"You could always talk to Shonda."  
"About what? Fact is, she didn't do anything except of calling me Zoney all the time and not keeping her shit to herself", I said.

"Didn't do anything? So what, you're seriously going to wait until she does something?"

"I will certainly not make a lot of fuss about nothing. And yet there is nothing. The little verbal diarrhea I can handle."

Teddy shook her head. "You know how much I'll be going to enjoy it when I can eventually rub it in that I was right, do you?"

"Yep", I answered. I had most definitely not the best memory about my ex-girlfriend and her little psych games she kept playing. Somehow she'd always turned the tables, making me the bad guy and feel guilty for being ten minutes late because of work – among other little things. But the difference were my feelings. I'd have done and given everything for her back then when we were a couple. Today, I would think twice before I'd held out my hand for her to shake it.

**Callie's POV**

"Good morning, Miss Torres."  
"Good morning", I grumbled, still half asleep and already on my way to the theater for my first day. James had been waiting for me in front of my hotel room at 8.30 sharp, as promised. I was awake – physically. I could walk, sip my coffee and my eyes were actually open so I would be able to walk without running into things. There was only one thing he should not expect from me right now: answers. As in actually talking.  
"Short night?"

"Rough", I answered.

"Excited?"  
"Alone", I stated dry and stared out of the window and on the street until we reached our goal. New York Theater.

"We're here. And that", he pointed out to a woman who stood at the entrance with her back to us, cell phone in her hand, "is my wife."  
"Mhmm..."  
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him slightly waving at her through the front shield. She smiled instantly and started walking towards us.

"Good morning, Miss Torres. I am Misses Manks, but please, call me Bridget just like everybody else does."  
"Okay."  
"I hope you had a good flight yesterday? I apologize for not being able to pick you up at the airport. Work never stands still these days, I think you know what I am talking about."

I nodded.

"But as far as I know my husband, he did a great job."  
"Always, darling", he smiled.

"I didn't expect anything else from you, love. Miss Torres, will you please follow me? They are already inside, waiting for us.

"Are we running late?"  
"I would never let that happen, Miss Torres", James assured me.  
"Callie. Please, please call me Callie."  
"My pleasure."

As we entered the theater my ears were immediately filled with the sound of a soft sweet female voice. It was a little muffled because we were still outside of the auditorium, but I could tell that it sounded pretty nice.

As Bridget pulled the next door – which was pretty heavy and made of iron – open, the voice got clearer.

"Good morning, could you please stop for a second?" Bridget asked politely as the song ended and we walked towards the stage. "Miss Torres, that one over there is Traci Hines. I don't think you know her. Up until now,she has solely worked for Disney, mostly at Disneyland though."  
"Hi", I said, giving her a small smile. She was slightly smaller than me, bright red long hair like fire, that fell loose over her shoulders.

"The one standing by the piano is Lea Michele, she's the youngest member this year."  
"Glee", I mumbled. "You were the one singing 'On my own'."  
"That's correct", she answered, beaming at me and holding out her hand.

"And this is..."  
"...without a doubt, Kristin Chenoweth. How could I not know her?"

She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it's safe to say the same thing about you, Calliope Torres."  
"It...it's Callie."  
"The men won't be here today. You'll meet them tomorrow though. They have fittings to attend to today and it will take all day because I really do hope it is the last one", Bridget said.

"Which is not so bad at all because it means that we can practice as much as we want today", Traci smiled.

"Beside the fact that Miss Torres isn't interested in men at all", Kristin chuckled.

I blushed the moment the words had left her lips. But she was so right!

"Callie, these are your songs. I am not asking you to know them all by heart by tomorrow or the day after, but you have to catch up and work a little faster and harder. I'd suggest, you start with your solo's."  
"Solo's?" 'Solo's as in my songs? Alone? On stage? As in...more than one? Oh yeah, _never_!'

"Solo parts", Bridget corrected herself.

'Okay, less bad, but still: _never_!'

"We can do this, Bridget. You'll see. We'll have her ready for the show in no time", Kristin affirmed.

"I count on you. Callie, the vocal coach", she looked at her watch, "will be here in about an hour. Why don't you warm up until then, make some easy hums and sounds, whatever you do to prepare your voice for a hard day of work. I have to go now but I plan to be back to see you practicing in the afternoon. If you're just as half as good as you sounded on TV, I am sure you'll knock us all off of our feet without a problem." And with that, she left.

'What the hell had I gotten myself into?'

**General POV**

"Good evening, Zoney", Joanne said in a singing voice.

"Joanne, I swear to God, you call me Zoney one more fucking time and I'll forget myself and everything about my education and-" She successfully managed to stay away from Joanne or to be engaged in random conversations every time, until now.

"And you what, Zoney?", she provoked Arizona. She knew that no one was here. The rest of the crew had left the studio about ten minutes ago. She would take advantage of that.

That was the moment Arizona lost it. Within a few seconds, she had pushed Joanne up against the nearest wall and held her in place with her forearm pressed hard against the upper body of the other woman.

"Oh! So now you finally wanna fuck away your frustration? You just have to say the word. My offer's still standing."  
"Joanne, I'm gonna say it one last time and I will make sure to say it loud enough so you finally get it. So, you better listen carefully, got it?" Her walls didn't crumble one bit. "Stay the hell away from me. Leave me alone. Calliope and I are not broken up. We didn't have a fight nor did she leave the city because of me. She's working! And I swear, if you ever make fun of her name again, I'll make sure to break every bone in your body. My girlfriend played an Ortho-Goddess, I am sure she can show me one or two things. So, if you know what's best for you don't get closer two me than five feet, unless the script says you have to!"  
"Come on, Arizona. Let's have some fun. Truth is, she's not here right now and she can't get in the way right now. She doesn't even have to know if you don't want to bother her."  
Arizona was just about to answer and to tell Joanne to get lost as she felt a hand pressing roughly between her legs, moving upwards. Her synapses were working on full blast, her thoughts running a mile per minute. And one moment later there was a slapping sound and the next one Joanne was holding her cheek. Arizona's hand burned like it was on fire. Still, it was a good pain. She looked down at her fingers. Bright red. The tips were throbbing. The adrenalin was pumping through her body but Joanne just grinned complacently and turned the tables.

With her back to the wall and Joanne in front of her, Arizona had no chance to get away. She was trapped.

"Gotcha," Joanne whispered right beneath the blonde's ear, as if it were a game.

"Let go!", Arizona hissed, turning her head away from the lips that got closer and closer.

"Did you really think you can fight me? Me? I have always been stronger than you, poor little innocent Arizona. And now, there is no _Calliope _around to protect you, to save you. No Teddy to stop me. Nobody. Just you and me. And now I will claim what is mine." She grabbed Arizona's chin, urging her to look her straight in the eyes.

The look Joanne was giving Arizona, shocked the blonde to her core. The eyes of the other woman were full of hate.

"You know you love me." And with that she pressed her mouth hard against Arizona's and pushed her tongue with force past the soft flesh of the blonde's lips.

"What the fuck is going on?"  
"Mark", Arizona sighed in relief. Joanne's grip on her body and jaw loosened somewhat, and once she was able to free her hand, she pushed Joanne as far away from her as she could so that she could get away from her and run into Marks arms. She'd thought about a lot what Joanne could do to her, but something like that had never occurred. Of course, she had always been a bit too possessive when they were still in a relationship, but that was so long ago. And it was her that cheated on Arizona, not the other way around.

"Come on. Let's get you out of here."  
She just nodded. She could still feel Joanne's strong grip around her wrists when she closed her eyes for too long. What did she do when she was not working? Bodybuilding? "Damn, that hurts."  
"I'll take you home."  
"Thank you", Arizona said as she was still trying to comprehend how the tables had been turned so fast.

* * *

AN3: I hope I managed to point out the friendship of Arizona and Teddy. Seriously, I miss Teddy

AN4: I hope you don't mind the people I put into the story. I needed some good singers for musical stuff and I though 'Hey, why don't just go with the real good ones?'

AN5: Yep, Joanne's a real b**** and Teds was right...

AN56 Up next: how will Callie react and of course some music now that she's rehearsing again :D


	27. Chapter 27

AN: I don't own the songs or the character.

AN2: Everything_ like_ this is Kristin. Everything like **that** is Callie and everything like _**this**_ is both of them singing together.

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

"Okay, Miss Calliope. One more time. And this time, please have more faith in your own voice, will you?"

I couldn't make out if she was nodding, so I just assumed she did. To me, it seemed that I arrived just at the right time.

"Ready?"

I sneaked a little further into the auditorium and sat down in one of the back rows. But even from that place, without being able to see everything, I could tell that she looked just as miraculous as ever. And as always, without even trying. I knew by the time she had to wake up every day she would not even think about applying make-up or anything if it wasn't necessary. She'd just take a shower, dry her hair and put on some clothes. She'd grab a coffee to go somewhere and would be through the door where James was waiting for her every day. Well, every day since yesterday.

"Okay, let's do this."

"_Dearest, darlingest Momsie and Popsicle"_  
Dear Lord. Her voice was really...shrill...even when she was only talking.

"**My dear father"**  
Callie on the other side? Maybe I could convince her to read me bedtime stories and record them or something. Her voice had such a soothing effect on me.

"_**There's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz"**_  
Wow. I never would have thought it was possible that these two tone colors would harmonize so well. And after a day's work! But that's probably the difference to me: two perfectly trained singers.

"**But of course I care for Nessa"**  
'Ah, right. The sister.' I thought I would never get tired of the beauty of her voice. It will probably still amaze me when we are old and wrinkly, sitting in our wheelchairs thinking back to this time.

"_But of course I'll rise above it"_, Kristin sang, raising her voice even higher.

"_**For I know that's how you'd want me to respond,  
Yes...  
There's been some confusion for you see my roommate is..."**_

"_Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe..."_

"**Blonde!"**, Callie huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"_What is this feeling? So sudden and new?"_

"**I felt the moment, I laid eyes on you"**  
'Well, that feeling sounded very familiar, Calliope.'

"_My pulse is rushing"_  
'Yep, familiar as well.'

"**My head is reeling"**

"_My face is flushing"_  
'Well, when was it not?'

"_**What is this feeling? Fervid as a flame  
Does it have a name? Yeeeeeheeeeeeees"**_  
They'd dragged the last word out pretty long, raising the volume of their voices in its way before they burst out a powerful:  
"_**Loathing! Unadulterated loathing!"**_

"_For your face"_

"**Your voice"**

"_You clothing"_

It was too funny. They were acting like little kids. Callie was standing with her back to the blonde on stage and Kristin was prancing happy circles around my girlfriend, tugging at her here and there. At her clothes. Her hair. It was a sight for sore eyes. I could barely contain the chuckles that kept bubbling up inside of me.

"_**Let's just say: I loathe it all  
Every little trait however small,  
Makes my very flesh begin to crawl,  
With simple utter loathing  
There's a strange exhilaration  
In such total detestation.  
It's so pure so strong  
Though I do admit it came on fast  
Still I do believe that it can last  
And I will be loathing,  
Loathing you my whole life long"**_

The little hairs on my neck stood on end as I witnessed the performance on stage. I was a hundred percent sure that there should be a choir now, but maybe they were rehearsing without the choir. Maybe there would be no choir at all. Well, I didn't care. No choir meant more Calliope.

"_**Though I do admit it came on fast  
Still I do believe that it can last and I will be  
Loathing for forever  
Loathing  
Truly deeply loathing yooohooooou  
My whole life looooooooooong"**_

By now, both of them stood with their backs to each other. Kristin held her delicate little nose into the spotlight above, as her uppity – very naive and slightly stupid – Glinda Upland would have done it. And Calliope...God. She looked so proud and strong yet so graceful. Upright and so beautiful, it was to die for. But suddenly she stirred, crept around Kristin and made quite loudly: **"Boo!"**

That little shriek that erupted Kristin's lips was so high pitched, I'd make sure to put my fingers in my ears if they were doing that song again.

"Pretty impressive, isn't it?"

I flinched. Next to me was a woman with short, stepped through, blond hair. A few strands darker, others a little lighter.

"Mhmm" I hummed.

"She is a worthy replacement for Idina, even Kristin keeps saying that and she has worked with Idina for years."

"You are Misses Manks?"

"The one and only."

"I am sorry. I didn't know..."

"It's okay, Miss Robbins. We knew you'd show up from time to time. Though Callie was damn sure that you wouldn't be here for another two days. Actually, she didn't stop talking about you except for when she's singing. It's really endearing."

I blushed. "Oh...well...things...plans changed", I talked around the bush.

"I assume Mike let you in?"

"Mike? Oh! The doorman. Yeah, he did."

"Maybe I should have a little talk with him. He can't let everyone walk right through just because they keep batting their eyelashes at him."

"Are you serious? I would feel bad if I got him into trouble."

"Don't worry. I think he recognized you. He is a big fan of Heartbeat and he was so proud when you and Callie made your relationship official and for everyone to be seen. He kept saying for more than a week that there should be more people out there like you and just be who they are. Because naked, we are all the same."

'So my gaydar is working just fine.'

"Come on. Let's give her a little break."

"Okay", I answered and followed her.

**Callie's POV**

"That was pretty amazing, Miss Calliope. We just need to do a little bit of fine tuning at some parts and this song is good to go", Emilio commended. He was – according to his own words – THE vocal coach you call when you want to be good. He was born in Italy, his mother is an opera singer, his father a pianist and when he was a child, they'd moved from Europe to the USA.

"We made a damn good choice, now, didn't? we?", Bridget came up the few stairs. And behind her was- no, that couldn't be. It was just my imagination because I missed her so much. I must have been hallucinating or something. I rubbed my eyes and when I opened them again, she was right in front of me. "Arizona?"

"Believe it", she said grinning.

"What are you doing here?"

"Should I go?"

"Don't you dare!", I grabbed her left wrist and pulled her closer to me. "What's wrong?" I asked as I saw her face winced in pain.

"Nothing. It's nothing. How long will you have to rehearse?"

"I think we're done for today", Emilio chimed in. "Bridget? That girl is pure gold. You know, I've worked with many singers before, but I've never experienced that anyone mastered a song after such a short time."

All eyes were glued on me.

"It is...intuitive", I said quietly.

"Miss Calliope, please do us a favor and keep that intuition. If we keep going at this pace, you don't need to worry at all, Bridget. She'll be good to go a few days prior to the premier."

"I like the sound of that", Bridget answered. "And now you have to excuse me, work, you know? Callie, you have an appointment tomorrow at 9.30am with our dressmaker so you can get sized up. Kristin, you're supposed to be at the press conference at 11.30. Please make sure you'll be on time this time."

"Of course, Bridget. It was one time, that I couldn't make it and how should I have known that there had been a major accident at Lincoln Tunnel?"

"Just be on time."

Kristin nodded. Sometimes, she really acted like Glinda herself. But she was nice and it was easy to work with her and that was what mattered to me.

"Ladies and gentleman, I'll see you tomorrow. Callie, no beer or strong liquor for you, that will only make your voice hoarse, but I guess I don't have to tell you that. And don't stay up too long."

"Of course, boss", I answered, laughing at Kristin's words, while my hand slid down Arizona's arm until I could intertwine her fingers with mine. My heart rate increased immediately. It pounded so hard against my rip cage, that I thought it could easily burst out of my chest if it wasn't for the skin and muscles holding everything together.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Calliope", Emilio said before retreating through the door as well.

"Miss Calliope? He's allowed to call you Calliope?"

"Well, _allowed _really is the wrong word here. He just refuses to call me anything else."

"Mhmm. And here I thought you already replaced me...with a guy", she said with a soft smile and leaned in until our faces were mere inches apart.

"There's no one who could take your place", I whispered against her lips before I laid a chaste kiss on them. She flinched again. "Okay Arizona, what is it. Seriously. First you wince in pain as I try to hold you back by your wrists and now you're backing away as I am trying to kiss you. What is wrong? Tell me now."

"It's no-" She started. "I...I am sorry, I don't want to be that way. Fuck", she blurted out.

"Arizona. What. Is. Wrong?", I asked again, punctuating every word with a little pause. There were only two things I could come up with and to be honest, I didn't like any of them. "Did you...did you che-" I couldn't even form the words to end my question because she caught my lips in a long and deep kiss. "Mhmm, that's more my imagination of a proper hello. But don't think you're off the hook, I still want an explanation."

"I took two more days off to be with you. Well. No. Not exactly that way. Shonda gave me two days off."

"Why?"

"You have to promise me first that you won't freak out, okay? Please, Calliope."

I prepared myself for everything. Even if it would hurt like hell and I honestly refused to believe that Arizona had cheated on me with me being gone for only two days, it was the only possible reason for me why Arizona was acting so weird.

"Okay, I promise."

"Joanne...she...she is...she did...damn. I can't even say it!"

"What did Joanne do?" On the inside, I was livid, but I reminded myself to stay calm on the outside. For Arizona who was standing in front of me, not able to say the word, instead she rolled up her sleeves. "Arizona, you know you can tell me every-" thing, I wanted to say but as I saw the finger shaped bruises around her small wrists, the words just got lost in my head. "Don't tell me those are Joanne's fingers", I begged.

She told me how Joanne had cornered her and how she had tried to get away and even made the first move. That sounded very much like my Arizona and I was so proud of her that she didn't take any of the shit. But as she got deeper into the story and I heard how Joanne got the upper hand, I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. Who did that...that...that _person _think she was? Arizona was not hers, she could not own her and force her to do things. She wasn't anyone's property. Not her parents', not mine, but certainly not Joanne's.

I had to remind myself a few times not to go all Latina right now and to stay calm.

"And then Shonda said, that she will talk to the big bosses and that I should take two days off. She said, that we could shoot my scenes when I would be back, seeing that I don't have that much on-screen time in that episode anyway. Luckily for me, Mark forgot his cell phone and he had to come back. Well, I guess luckily for me, that guy can't live without his cell phone", she giggled.

"Remind me to thank him", I said and closed my arms around Arizona, holding her close.

"He'll be so happy to get a free ticket", she laughed some more.

"Well, maybe he won't, but Lexie will."

"You're amazing, do you know that?", she mumbled against my shoulder.

"You are the amazing one, Arizona. Only you."

**Arizona's POV**

I couldn't hold back the grin on my face as I woke up the next morning and the unmistakable scent of my Calliope instantly filled my nostrils. I was still lying in her arms, almost in the same position as we fell asleep in. Me facing her, face almost buried in the valley of her breasts. My left leg tangled between hers and she somehow managed to get her right leg beneath my legs by bending it. Frankly, it looked a little weird. There was no way out for me. But there was not place I'd rather be at that moment.

I looked up and blinked into the first rays of the rising sun before I snuggled even more into my girlfriend and took a deep breath. Home. No matter where on earth we would be, in her arms, I felt save and home.

"What time is it?", Callie mumbled, tightening her grip around me.

"Little after seven."

"Ugh", she grumble. "We still have some time, right?"

"Is James picking you up?"

"Every morning."

"Mhmm...and when will he be here?"

"No idea," she brought out before she gave in to a hearty yawn. "But wait ..." She turned away and reached for her cell phone. "He'll be waiting for us downstairs quarter after nine."

"For us?"

"Mhmm", she hummed, stifling yet another yawn.

"Oh...Calliope?"

"Hmm?"

If she'd only open her eyes. "Calliope?"

"What is it, love?

"Now that we're awake...and we still have some time..." My fingertips found their way under the white tank top she was wearing, grazing the skin below oh so soft that I wasn't even sure she could feel it. "We could..."

She opened one eye. "You're still not satisfied?"

I blushed instantly and swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. Then I grinned at her, challenging her the next second. "Never!" And with that, I cupped her right breast, lightly kneading and massaging the soft flesh.

"Uh, Arizona", she gasped. For a moment, two beautiful big brown eyes stared at me before they fluttered shut.

"What, Calliope?" Every third or fourth second I stroke her nipple with my thumb. I felt the skin tighten under my palm. An indescribable feeling and I was sure I'd never get enough of that. Not with Calliope.

"Oh, Arizona", she moaned quietly. It was music to my ears. I pushed the fabric up some more and closed my mouth around the hardening peak, replacing the movements of my thumb with gentle caresses of my tongue.

Callie threw her head back into the pillows and arched her upper body more into my touch. Deep breaths filled her lungs with air and yet it didn't seem to be enough. I could hear a faint "Arizona", spilling from her lips and suddenly everything happened pretty fast. With one quick motion I was rolled over and pushed down onto the mattress, Callie hovering above me. Dark untamed tresses framed her beautiful face. Dark brown eyes were staring down on me and I could see in them all I needed to see. Lust. Want. Devotion. Passion. Love.

"Calliope!", I blurted out as her hand slipped beneath the waistband of my boxers without warning.

"Mhmm", she hummed as her fingers slipped further down between my legs, parting wet folds and grazing lightly over the bundle of nerves.

"Nggghhh." I hate to bite my bottom lip to keep at least a little bit of control.

Callie moved her attention to my neck where she quickly found my weak spot, nipping and sucking at the soft skin she found there and all I could do was tilting my head to the side to give her even better access. As her tongue slowly – tantalizingly slow licked the flesh behind my ear I was already putty in her hands.

"Off", she said.

"What?", I barely got out.

"Off", she repeated and tugged at the hem of my shorts as a request for me to lift my pelvis. I willingly followed her plea and she eagerly pulled the fabric along my legs and off my feet. She carelessly threw the piece of clothing behind her and began to kiss her way up my legs. She started at my left calf over to me knee and up to my thigh. Then she followed the same path down my right leg. "Callie..." Right now, I was begging.

"Impatient, are we?"

My hands tangled in my girlfriend's curly hair and I led her head to where I wanted to have her mouth right now.

I could hear a moan of appreciation as she inhaled my arousal and I finally felt her tongue slide through my folds – one fucking time.

**Callie's POV**

Heaven. If I wouldn't know better, I would think I just died and ended up in heaven. Normally, it took at least one cup of hot strong coffee to wake me up. But this right here tasted a million times better than any coffee would. If it would be enough, I'd just eat Arizona. Morning, noon and night.

Her hips bucked against my lips. Who was I that I would not comply to this request?

I closed my mouth around her swollen clit and sucked lightly. Not too much. Not too hard. Just strong enough for Arizona to feel it but it would never be enough to push her over the edge.

"Calliope", she pleaded.

There was no way I could hold back the dirty grin on my face as I parted my lips and stroke her clit with my tongue again. I felt the muscles in her thighs twitch at the side of my head. Another grin tugged at my lips and then another stroke of my tongue causing her to moan even louder.

"Calliope", her plea turned into a whimper.

I gave in and sucked her bud into my mouth, circling her entrance before I pushed two fingers inside her up to the second knuckle.

"GOD!"

"Mhmm, Calliope is just fine, thank you", I whispered, blowing cold air against her center by doing so. I had stilled every movement of my right hand and stroke her inner walls instead. Pressing her hips down with my other hand, I held her in place and stopped her hips from bucking too much against me. I knew she wanted to come and I knew that it was her way to get there fast, but I didn't want fast. I wanted to drag out every second and just revel in the sight before me.

"Callie, damn it. If you don't...oooooooooh", she stopped mid-sentence as I curled my fingers inside her, caressing that spongy spot. "Callie. Please. More. I need...I need m-"

I loved to hear her say what she wanted. Complying or not, I loved it.

One hand clutched firmly at the bed sheets, while she brought the other to her mouth and bit into the skin just beside her wrist to suppress her loud moans.

It wouldn't take that long anymore, so I focused my tongue back on her clit. Licking, flicking, sucking while I thrust my fingers into her again, curling on every way out before pushing them back inside with a little more force, a little deeper every time.

"Calliope!", she screamed, arching her back.

It was too much for her. Just a few seconds later she screamed my name again. Her thighs closed around my head, muffled her moans for me. The abs of her abdomen clenched and her toes possibly curled as her orgasm hit her with full force.

She was lying beneath me, heavily panting as her thighs finally let go of my head and fell limply to each side while I licked up every drop of her juices she was offering me.

"Ungggh."

"Did you say something?"

"Give me two minutes", she gasped, still having a hard time to breathe.

"You have all the time you want", I answered before taking a quick glance at the clock. "Or not. I really have to take a shower in a few." I kissed my way up from her belly button to her lips. She moaned into my mouth as she tasted herself in the kiss. Our tongues danced together for a moment before I gave her more time to come down from her high. "Really, Arizona. We have to get ready soon." I laid down beside her and waited for a minute. Okay, maybe two...or three. Silence. Except for our steady breathing the room was filled with silence. There was a big chance I could get another 30 minutes of sleep, but I knew that I would not wake up that easily again, so I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and let the cold floor under my feet make a shiver ran down my spine. "You coming?", I asked on my way to the bathroom.

* * *

AN3: Songs: What is this feeling - Wicked :)

AN4: No, this is not the last part about what happened and will happen with Joanne. I just wanted to give Arizona and Callie some time to calm down. That will happen in the next chapter or the one after that.


	28. Chapter 28

AN: Sorry it took me so long this time. I had a rather stressful week and no time for trainslating or writing for that matter.

* * *

**General POV**

"Good morning, Callie. Good morning, Arizona", Bridget said to the two women after she laid a chaste kiss on her husband's lips. "Callie, before we go in there, let me warn you. Misses Chén is...well, in lack of a better word: blunt. Very blunt. She has no filter, whatsoever. Don't take anything she'll say to you personally or too serious. So you better not let her words get to you. Just, ignore her. Unfortunately she is the best when it comes to costumes and I guess you cannot expect any politeness", Bridget joked.

"Okay", Callie and Arizona answered practically in unison. They were too happy that they made it in time anyway. After the smaller woman had followed Callie into the shower, their original plan of getting ready had been forgotten pretty fast. Instead Arizona had pushed Callie up against the shower tiles over and over again, made her reach her peak after peak. Time had passed by without one of them noticing until they barely had fifteen minutes left to get ready until James would be waiting for them.

"Okay, after you", Bridget said and opened the door for the couple.

They entered the relatively small tailor shop. In the background was a gentle piano piece playing that Callie had immediately and easily recognized as Schostakowitch's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major. Unimportant details that were burned into her brain from her time at Juilliard .

"Misses Manks. Good morning." A small Asian woman emerged from the back of the shop and eyed the three women in front of her.

"Misses Chén, this is Calliope Torres. She's taking on Miss Menzel's part of the show. She needs every costume as soon as possible."  
"That is..? Impossible. Hell could freeze and she would never fit into Miss Menzel's clothes. Never."  
'Oh, wow. Blunt, indeed', Callie thought. She knew that she didn't have the body of a model, but she was confident enough to feel good and comfortable with the curves of her body. And as if Arizona could read her thoughts, she snaked her arm around the small of Callie's back, placing her hand on her girlfriend's hip.

"Misses Chén, you are not supposed to alter the costumes for her. You should make new ones. Size her up all you want and we won't bother you any further until we meet again for the first fitting", Bridget placated the fuming tailor.

"Misses Manks, do you know how many costumes I've made for Miss Menzel? These", she pointed over to the hanging rail, "are all Miss Menzel's costumes. Eleven whole dresses for every of her performances on stage. All made by myself solely. Do you know how long that takes, Misses Manks? Sizing up is one thing of a million different little pieces. I have to order the materials, make new patterns that-", she didn't get any further because Bridget interrupted her.

"I know that, Misses Chén. But I also know that you are the best. We have almost two months to go before everything has to be ready. And yes, I do know that I wanted everything to be ready at least a month in advance at first, but these are special circumstances and I am the last person on earth that will fail to understand when they just cannot be ready."

Callie and Arizona glances flew between the two woman like they were watching tennis on TV.

"Misses Manks, that blows the whole schedule up in our faces. Of course I could get some help, but that will push the price."

Well calculated.

"Do whatever it is you have to do Misses Chén. If you need some help, for Christ's sake, get all the help you need. We're counting on you, Misses Chén.

"Well then, I'll mail you a new estimation of the costs."

Although Bridget rolled her eyes at that, she answered polite and courteous as always, "Of course, Misses Chén." And before Bridget or Callie could say anything else, the small Asian woman disappeared quickly into the back of the shop only to come back with a notepad and a measuring tape in her hands.

"Stand straight" Misses Chén chastised, standing right in front of Callie. The brunette froze immediately. "Arm", was the only thing she said, roughly lifting up Callie's arm herself as the Latina didn't move. Meanwhile Bridget said goodbye to Callie and Arizona with a friendly smile and gave Misses Chén an affirmative nod.  
"Arm", she Asian woman said again, taking her right arm in her hand. "Shoulders straight."

Jesus Christ, those commands shot out of her mouth like bullets out of a gun. Callie followed every instruction, but she was just as happy as Arizona when they were finally done here.

"What's the plan for today, Calliope?", Arizona asked to lighten the mood a little that was oozing off the dressmaker.

"Today? Oh...uhm...the love song between Elphaba and Fiero. Uhm, James."

"James? Are you telling me that Bridget's husband is not only your driver but he can sing as well", the blonde asked, raising her eyebrows.

Callie laughed for a second and then she answered softly, "No. James Marsden."

"Ooh, wait! I know him! He's the prince from 'Enchanted'! I like him", Arizona said, clapping her hands in excitement and making Callie chuckle again.

"Of course. When you know other actors, they had a role in a Disney movie, right, Disney?", she teased, using the nickname Cristina gave her a while ago.

"Hey! Derek was in that movie too", Arizona grumbled. "Whatever. I won't hear a word he sings when you're there too, singing. They just fade away", she grinned. "Wait! You don't have to kiss him, do you? Please tell me you don't have to."

"No, I don't have to and you are biased."

"So what? Everybody is a little biased. Even more if", and before she said what she originally planned to say, she remembered that they were not alone. She stepped closer to her girlfriend and whispered so softly in Callie's ear that even she could barely hear every word, "if he once got the chance to taste you and the feeling of your naked curves on his own skin."  
Callie gulped. She saw Misses Chén rolling her eyes but not saying anything and just sized her up in every way possible.

"Or if his fingers could feel you...but that is never going to happen, because all of this", her handy ghosted over Callie's sides, waist and stopping at her hips, "is all mine. _Mine_", she husked.

Misses Chén cleared her throat, still working though while Arizona chuckled behind the Latina as she could make out the slightly flushed cheeks of her girlfriend. Oh yeah, it was fun to tease and embarrass Callie a little once in a while.

**Arizona's POV**

"Pheeeeeew, finally."

"Yeah", Callie answered, blinking into the sun. "Believe me or not, I seriously miss the rain in Seattle. "

"I don't believe you. You're soon going to like it that your skin will shimmer in that delicious bronze again when you are in the sun. I know I will", I smiled.

"It's New York, Arizona, not Miami."

"Sun is sun", I protested.

"We still have about half an hour until James is going to pick us up. Fancy getting a coffee?"

"Oh yes, please", I answered. I knew, Callie needed a coffee just as much as I did. We both kinda forgot about that in the morning since we were both in a hurry after our little...well, anyway, coffee would be a lifesaving thing right now. "Let's just go down the streeeeeeeeeeheeeeeee- fuck!"

"What is wrong?", Callie asked, her eyes widened in shock. "Did something happen?"

Nothing happened. It was just my cell phone, vibrating in the back pocket of my pants and unfortunately, I was ticklish. "Teddy", I stated and then I answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Arizona, listen up. Well, no, are you sitting right now?"

"Sitting? What are you talking about?"

"Is Callie with you?"

"Yeah, right in front of me."

"Okay. That's good. Listen", and all of a sudden she started to babble and ramble in a fast pace like there was no tomorrow.

"Teddy, please. Slow down. I barely get half the words you're saying. And why are you whispering anyway? Where are you?"

"In our locker room. Ugh...well in the locker room Joanne just left a minute or so ago."

"What's with Joanne?"

Callie just shot me a quizzical look.

"Arizona, did you hear me?"

"Well, I tried. But seriously, you are talking way too fast and definitely not loud enough. So, if you would finally change that, I'd be able to listen!"

"Joanne's staying."

"WHAT?", I blurted out, louder than I intended to.

"Yes. I couldn't believe it either. But apparently, they love her so much and she has already a kinda fan base so they want her to stay. Plus, Mer told me that she told them and Shonda that you came on to her, not the other way around. That you kissed her. Shonda's not buying it, but they didn't see your wrists. Well, I don't even know if it's the truth but then again, Mer said, she kinda eavesdropped a phone call from Joanne and why should Mer lie to us? Unlike Joanne?"

Unconsciously my hand clenched into a hard fist. "How dare she tell lies like that?"

"That's her messed up brain. The problem is, that nobody aside from you and me know how she truly is and that you better check again if she's the one telling you the sea is blue."

I slumped down against one of the shopping windows, cell phone still attached to my ear and Callie – who had no clue what was going on – in front of me.

"Arizona, are you listening?"

"What? Uhm. Yeah, no. Sorry, what did you say?"

"That you should think about finally making the step and press charges against her, Arizona. That was sexual harassment and assault."

"Teddy..."

"Arizona, as your best friend for years – and that's what I am even though you dumped me to speed dial number two since you're with Callie – I tell you, that you are way to good and nice for this world."

"But nothing bad happened."

"Nothing happened? Nothing bad happened because Mark came back. Do you still want to wait until none of us will be there to help you? Until something worse happens? Until you end up in a hospital? What if Mark hadn't forget his stupid cell phone and didn't come back?"

"He did", I stated. "Teds, listen. I love you, but I don't wanna think about it right now, okay? Can we talk about it when I get back to Seattle? I really, _really_ want to enjoy what little time I get with my girlfriend."

She sighed at the other end of the line. "When are you coming back? Should I pick you up from the airport?"

"That would be nice", I smiled.

"Okay. Just send me the details and don't let her get to you too much, okay?"

"I promise. Bye Teds."

"Bye."

"Care to enlighten me?", Callie asked.

"Later." I looked at my watch. "There's still enough time for a coffee to go and to be honest, I need one. Shall we?"

"Arizona..."

"Later, Calliope, I promise. For now, I just have to sort out my thoughts and I can do that way better with the coffee you suggested in the first place. So, please."

"Ooookay", she said and took my hand. "This way, Miss Robbins", she smiled, interlacing our fingers as we made our way down the street until we stopped in front of Starbucks.

**Callie's POV**

"Hey James. This is Arizona. Arizona, that's James."

James got up and came around the piano towards us. "The famous Arizona. I think there wasn't a day I did not hear that name out of the mouth of that woman", he said grinning.

Blood shot up to my cheeks, making me blush immediately. "Only good things", I said quickly and luckily for me, James nodded in agreement. "It's okay, if she's staying, right?"

"There's nothing I have to hide. I am not the one torturing other people with her voice", he teased. "But maybe you're lucky and the green color of your skin is distracting the people around us enough."

"You seriously will get a green face?"

My shoulders slumped down a bit. "Yeah...unfortunately."

"Hey, come on. At least Wicked will be the last part of the show. Well...it has to be, otherwise we'd have to wait for Callie to get normal again. "

"Mhmm...I like green. It suits you", Arizona whispered.

"But not as my skin!", I objected. "Whatever. Where's Emilio?"

"He'll be a little late. He called and said we should just start."

"Okay." Turning around to my girlfriend I gave her a light kiss on her lips. "Zona, you don't have to stay all the time if you don't want to. Go sightseeing or whatever if you want to. As far as I know, New York is a great place to see."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I am very content to just sit here and listen, if it is really okay?" Her eyes searched for James who was only nodding again. "Thank you", she smiled and sat down in one of the seats in the first row.

"From the start?"

"Wait, I need the lyrics. Just...in case, you know."

"Don't let Emilio see that. I heard he practically praised you yesterday. We don't want to disappoint him, do we?"

I bashfully glanced at the lyrics in my hand. I knew them...most of the time. "Mhmm."

"Not everybody gets a commendation from Emilio. It's like...I don't know, winning an Oscar or something like that. Let's hear if you earned it", he teased again, grinning at me like a Cheshire cat.

"He thinks he's funny", I said loud enough for Arizona to hear, making her chuckle at my words. "Okay, I am ready. I guess. I think."

"Well, you're first."

I felt two pairs of eyes watching me, probably burning holes into my body. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I straightened up a bit. It helped me focusing on the moment. All around me went dark, even Arizona faded away. James was gone completely. Only the sheets of music in my hands existed to me.

_Kiss me too fiercely  
Hold me too tight  
I need help believing  
You're with me tonight  
My wildest dreamings  
Could not foresee  
Lying beside you  
With you wanting me_

"Okay, stop."

I froze as I heard Emilio's voice and opened my eyes just in time to see him coming on stage. I guess, it was my day to freeze.

"Uh, Emilio..."

"Miss Calliope, what shall I do with you?"

"Huh?"

"Emilio, what are you saying? That was almost perfect...", James interjected.

Admittedly, almost perfect was the exaggeration of the century, but I thought that I was at least...okay?

"That's exactly the problem. If she keeps going like this, I won't be needed anymore. What's out there that I could teach her? Traci needs to learn to let go and show her feelings. I am really trying and doing my best to teach you guys to sing from the notes and not just what you hear. Lea Michelle was pretty close to get me jobless. And we really do not have to talk about Kristin, because she's a professional for years and only has to adjust to new partners and singers. That's my part", he grinned. "But you, Miss Calliope, please, make a mistake. Or, more than one. Give me some wrong notes, forget your feelings or whatever. But please, give me something to do."

I glanced over to Arizona who was bursting with pride. Her dimples were out on full force, white teeth flashed me as her smile got even wider. Blue eyes were sparkling so bright at me and I almost got lost in them.

"Would you please start again, Miss Calliope?"

"Uhm...of course..."

* * *

"Arizona?" Entering my hotel room, I put my purse down on one of the tables. "Arizona?", I asked again. Okay, I was a little late because we worked a little longer today, trying to get the song done for good. But it was only thirty minutes, so, that was really not _that_ late. "Zona?", I hollered a third timed as even the bedroom remained deserted.

"Laaa laaaa, laaa laa, we're gonna make you pop-u-lar... O-o-oohh, Calliope, you...you're back?", she asked as she exited the en-suite-bathroom in her very short and very dark blue silk bathrobe. A towel in her hands, she rubbed the tips of her still dripping wet blond hair.

"Yeah, and apparently it was the best moment to get here, Glinda", I grinned and winked at her.

"Oops." A light blush made its appearance around her nose as she tugged at the fabric of her robe to cover up the skin of her breasts. "I guess you wanna take a quick shower too?"

I shook my head and sat down at the end of the bed. "I'd rather know what that phone call with Teddy was about." Pushing her was wrong, I knew it. But I also knew that if I would not insist that she would tell me the truth about it, it was likely possibly, that Arizona wouldn't say a word about it. It didn't mean she was lying or not trusting me, but that she would keep something from me.

She hesitated.

"Come here", I said, patting the cover on the bed next to me. She followed my request and sat down on my right side, towel in one hand and her comb in the other. "Turn around."

"What?

"I said, turn around."

"Callie, what are you doing?"

"Would you please just turn around?"

"Fine", she huffed and finally turned her back to me.

"Brush."

"Geez, Calliope. Did you take a lesson in politeness with Misses Chén?"

I didn't answer. Instead I grabbed the brush out of her hand and loosened up the wet strands that were dampening the back of her shirt. Raising my hand, I made the first slow brush through her golden hair.

Arizona's breathing calmed down, evened out, her shoulder's relaxed and her fists unclenched as she closed her eyes.

"So, what happened?", I asked, still brushing her hair.

"Joanne's staying", she whispered.

My movements stopped for a split second. "Can you please say that again, because I think what you just told me can't be the truth."

"Joanne's staying. They want her to stay", she said again.

I lifted her head with a finger under her chin so her hair fell all the way down her back. Every time I combed her hair from the top of her head down to its tips, little droplets fell into my lap.

"Apparently, they love her and she has too much fans to just let her go. Shonda couldn't do anything, at least that's what Teddy said.

I still couldn't find any words.

"Calliope?"

"Yeah?"  
"What do you think about that?"  
"I think..." Well, what was I thinking about that? I was not thrilled about it, not in the slightest way. And if I had a say in it, Joanne could pack her stuff and leave Seattle for good...move to the end of the world or back to hell where she came from. "I think..." I thought that Joanne deserved to be punched in the face and I have never been a fan of violence. "I think..." I was worried about Arizona. I put the brush down and combed through her hair with my fingers. It didn't take long and I grabbed a few strands and started to braid her hair. More wet tresses made their way into it until there were no loose curls falling down anymore. "There, all done", I said and kissed the soft skin right under her hairline.

"Calliope", she turned her upper body to look me straight in the eyes. "Please tell me what you're thinking."

"Too much and nothing at the same time. I really don't know, Arizona. I know that my Latin temper should get the better of me right now, and it most definitely would if Joanne would be anywhere near me. But, she isn't. And you just don't deserve all the words I would say to or rather yell at her."

"Calliope..."

"No, please, let me finish, Arizona. I love you. God, you know I love you. And I really trust you although I never thought I would trust any human being again after what happened with George and then with Erica." My fingertips grazed over the soft skin of her face, until I cupped her cheeks with both hands. "But you...you. You are different. I like that you call me Calliope because when you call me Callie, something is wrong or you are mad at me. I like that you have so much power over me but you're not misusing it. And in my opinion, you don't deserve any of the shitJoanne's doing to you and I really..._really _want to bribe Mark to kick the crap out of her." So much for not being a fan of violence. "But all I – Calliope Torres – can do right now is assure you that I will be there for you and support any decision you make. Whether you want to press charges or not. Whether you want me to go all Latina on her or not. I'll be there whenever you need me. You will always come first for me. And there's no Joanne out there who's able to change my trust in you." I took a few deep breaths. "Okay, actually, this should have been about you. I guess I got a little carried away...sorry", I sad finally, smiling at her.

"Calliope", she said again, quickly closing the gap between us. Our lips met and melted together in a deep kiss and we both got lost in it. Time stood still or maybe it was on fast forward, but we didn't care. Right there in that moment, it was just Arizona and me, our hearts and that kiss that said more than thousand words.

As the need for oxygen became too much, I backed away a little bit, looking instantly for the blue eyes I loved so much. There was no doubt in them that she wanted to continue to talk about the Joanne issue. But tomorrow was another day.

"You're perfect", she smiled at me and ghosted her thumb over my bottom lip before she kissed me again and we got lost in the kiss and our roaming hands_._

* * *

AN2: So, what do you say?

AN3: Up next: ooooooooooooh Callie's big surprise!


	29. Chapter 29

AN: Before you start reading: Everything like_ this_ is one of the singing. There are more than two singers so I had a hard time trying to think about HOW THE HELL I was going to show that. In the end, I gave up and hope you still get every single singer. If not, feel free to tell me.

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

"Mhmm, good morning, Calliope", I whispered in the ear of the still sound asleep beautiful woman lying beside me. My hands made their way over the stunning curvaceous body and I could only look in astonishment again how velvety soft her skin always was. A few dark brown locks fell loosely in her slowly awakening face as she breathed calmly through her slightly parted lips. She stretched her arms above her head and a hearty yawn escaped her beautiful mouth, making me giggle.

"What?," she grumbled.

"Nothing."

She opened her eyes, looking at me sceptical. "I know you too well, Arizona."

"I just...sometimes I find it hard to believe that you love me. _Me!_ That's all.

"Mhmm, well, maybe I should remind you just how much I love you", she said and with a quick move, she flipped me onto my back and hovered above me, supporting her upper body with both of her arms on either side of my face.

All my nerves and muscles concentrated immediately on the throbbing between my legs which the pressure of Callie's thigh pressed to my centre only intensified tenfold. "Oh my God", I whispered. How could my body still react so strongly to her looks, touches and everything that woman did to me?

I was ripped out of my thoughts as she took of my shirt in one swift motion and started to lay open mouthed kisses all over the skin of my torso. The first kiss didn't possibly even last one second. The second one lingered a few ticks longer on my left nipple. Her kisses slowly found a path from my breasts, over my sternum and collarbone to me ear where she whispered seductively, "You got me feeling like you're that something I've been missing."

There was a non-stopping chill going down my spine and my breath got caught in my throat instantly as I felt her mouth against the shell of my ear.

"Everything's heaven, 'cause life with you has been a blessing", she sang in a low voice before her lips closed around my earlobe and I felt her teeth nibbling slightly on the skin.  
"I got it bad in a serious way." Her mouth wandered down to my neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses on its way.  
"Your love has brought me to a higher place."

It was getting harder to breathe as most of the air got out of my lungs in form of pants and moans.

"Who knew, it'd be you to restore my faith."

"Calliope", I gasped as her tongue peaked out and circled my left breast, the nipple hardening under that arousing ministration immediately. She gave the same attention to my other breast as she cupped it a little roughly with her hand, twirling the also harden peak with her thumb and forefinger. My body reacted almost automatically as it began to squirm under her, arching more and more into her touch.

"Every day, I'm amazed."

It was little more than a touch, her hot breath on my skin, but it left goosebumps all over my body and that feeling spread pretty fast.

"And it makes me wanna get down and pray."

Her lips and hands where everywhere. Not literally, but it felt like that. There was no escape.

"Makes me wanna get down and pray." Callie's tongue circled my belly button before she licked her way further down my body, getting rid of my panties at the same time and finally positioning herself between my legs.  
"Said it makes me wanna get down...", she sang again, pausing to take a deep breath, inhaling my scent and moaning as it filled her nostrils. Our eyes locked as she whispered the last "and pray before diving in completely, disappearing between my legs.

* * *

As we entered the auditorium for today's rehearsal, everybody was there – unlike any other days before. That surprised me a little bit, because if I remembered Callie's schedule for today correctly, Wicked was set again for this morning, specifically Callie's solo. I was so sure about that because I really wanted to hear her sing 'Defying Gravity'. I wanted to know how that would sound in these acoustics and everything. I would bet that she would leave Emilio speechless again at the edge of the stage. And I expected nothing less for this morning. But then again, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Uhm, Calliope?"

She took my hand and led me down the broad stairs until we stood in front of the first row. "Sit down", she demanded.

"Do I have to understand what's going on?"

"That, Zona, is my surprise for you. Just a little one though, but I know that you'll like it so please, just sit down, okay?", she asked grinning from one ear to the other and let go of my hand to get up on stage as well. Stage fright my ass! That woman oozed confidence – finally. Self-conscious and filled with pride she stepped into the group of singers. Eight by number. Four women who Callie had introduced to me yesterday. There was Traci, red long hair, doll face, pale skin. To me, she looked a lot like Disney's little mermaid today, but maybe it was just her hair. Next to her was Kristin and next to her another young petite woman, brunette, who I was told, was Lea. And of course, the most beautiful human being on earth, Calliope.

Facing them from the other side of the stage were standing four men, of course, James was one of them. On his left side stood a young shooting star who was called Nick Pitera. Admittedly, I hadn't heard of him before. Next to him was Ewan McGregor. I knew that he could sing. After all, Moulin Rouge was one of the most watched movies I had. Still, I would not have expected him to partake in such a project as Best of Broadway. He was an actor first and a singer second to that. Last but not least, there was Adam Pascal on the right side of James. He was the only blonde guy in that group and to be honest, he looked as if they dragged him straight out of the studios where they'd shot the RENT movie adaption.

"Calliope, would you please tell me what the hell is going on here?", I asked but Callie just waved her hand in my direction, putting her forefinger on her lips to tell me to shut the fuck up. Okay, to tell me to be quiet.

"Okay, let's do this", I heard her saying.

Tracie and Ewan stepped out of their lines and took their places at the front of the stage. Traci tapped her foot down three times and I was still waiting for the music to start, as a voice suddenly rang out.

"_From the day we arrive on the planet"_, Ewan started, still smiling at me. I knew this song somewhere, but I couldn't put my finger on it quite yet.

"_And blinking step into the sun"_, Traci let her sweet voice fill the auditorium as well.

'Oh. My. GOD!'

"_There's more to see than can ever be seen"_

"_More to do than can ever be done" _

And out of nowhere they skipped a few lines and got straight to the chorus. Together. And slowly, the goosebumps invaded my skin again.

„_It's the Circle of Life  
And it moves us aaaaall  
Through despair and hope  
Through faith and love  
Till we find our place  
On the path unwinding  
In the Circle of life"_

As the last notes left their lips, the redhead made two or three steps backwards, leaving Ewan practically alone and waiting for I didn't know what. As the music changed from one melody to the next, I had a slight clue of what was going on because I figured it out faster this time. Tarzan had just made its way on stage.

„_When destiny calls you  
You must be strong  
I may not be with you  
But you've got to hold on  
They'll see in time  
I know  
We'll show them together_

_Oh, you'll be in my heart"_

His voice rose loud and clear.

"_Believe me you'll be in my heart  
No matter what they say  
You'll be here in my heart  
Always"_

As he whispered a second 'always' he made his way back into the line of the men and Traci took in his place.

The melody changed again and it was like I'd known it before. As if her hair gave her away. I was so excited!

„_I don't know when  
I don't know how  
But I know something's starting right now  
Watch and you'll seeeee  
Someday I'll beeee  
Part of your woooorld"_

And now they seriously had me although Callie had not even sang one single note. The hairs on my arm and neck stood on end and everything inside of me was tingling. So, while I was desperately trying to get a little control back over my body, Nick stepped up next to Traci, smiling at her and taking her spot.

"_Can your friends do this?  
Do your friends do that?  
Do your friends pull thiiiiiis out their little haaats?  
Can your friends go poof!?"_

A clown. There was no other way to describe him right now. He was a true Genie when he was acting like that. He made faces and grimaces as he was singing. It was too funny and I couldn't hold back one or two giggles as his hands meant to show an explosion right in front of his face and his voice jumped remarkable high in just one second.

But suddenly, all sounds subsided and I thought it was over. Though, before I could wrap my mind about it and start to clap, I could hear loud drums. Kettledrums – ha! I learned something during that practicing with Callie. But somehow, they distracted me so much that I didn't even notice how Ewan – again, Kristin and Adam found their marks at the front of the stage.

"_Deception"_, Ewan began.  
_"__An outrage!"_, the girls called out and I felt Callie's eyes on me.  
_"__Just leave us alone!"_, the guys followed.  
_"__Disgrace",_ I could hear Kristin.  
_"__For shame!"_  
_"__Traitor go back with you own!"_  
_"__He asked for trouble the moment he came"_, Adam sang his line. There was no likeness between him and a hippo, still it sounded incredibly good as he sang that part with his raspy voice.  
_"__See you later, agitator"_, the choir sang in the background, leaving the rest up to the three main singers.  
_„__Born in grief  
Raised in hate  
Helpless to defy his fate  
Let him run_  
_Let him live  
But do not forget what we cannot forgive"_

The music got more quiet with every passing heartbeat as the three sang their last line _"He is not one of us"_ together. It really had something magical about it. The three voices harmonizing so damn well together. Every little goosebump on my skin seemed to not want to leave my body and then Callie stepped out of the line and I prepared myself to die a sweet death.

Our eyes locked for a moment, then I watched her taking in a deep breath, like she always did. It was her little ritual to calm herself and Ifound it nothing but adorable.

"_You think you own whatever land you land on"_

Oh fuck. That was not good. Not that song. No no no. Not good!

"_The earth is just a dead thing you can claim  
But I know every rock and tree and creature  
Has a life  
Has a spirit  
Has a name"_

I swallowed down the lump that was forming in my throat. My eyes went dry because I didn't dare to blink just one time. I didn't want to miss out one second, one millisecond.

"_Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon  
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?  
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?  
Can you paint with all the colours of the wind?  
Can you paint with all the colours of the wind?"_

The last notes she sang did the rest to leave me completely and utterly speechless. At the same time, my thoughts started to race a mile per minute in every direction. There must be something I could do to thank her for that. But what?

I watched on as Callie stepped back in line and Adam took her place again. The music changed and by the third note of that marching sound I knew what would happen next.

„_Time is racing toward us till the Huns arrive  
Heed my every order and you might survive  
You're unsuited for the rage of war  
So pack up, go home you're through  
How could I make a man out of youuuuuuuuuu?"_

And again, the raspy sound in his voice gave the song something new, something very different but again, something very good.

"_Be a man"_, the men sang in the background.  
_"__We must be swift as the coursing river"  
"Be a man"_  
_"__With all the force of the great typhoon"  
"Be a man"_  
_"__With all the strength of the raging fire  
Mysterious as the dark side of the moohoohoohon"_ And with a loud bang his part was over. Wow. There was nothing else I could say to that. Just, wow. Everything was just so great that the all the words in the whole English dictionary would never be able to do it enough justice.

Kristin made her way to the front and a happy melody started immediately. One, that could have been written only for her if Amy Adams wouldn't exist.

"_Come my little friends  
As we all  
Sing a happy little working song"_

Oh, and her voice. Squealing. Full of euphoria. Just perfect. And she even acted like that, calling her friends, little mice, pigeons and who knows what to help her. She had so much fun.

„_Merry little voices clear and strong  
Come and roll your sleeves up  
So that we can pitch in  
Cleaning crud up in the kitchen  
As we sing along  
How we all enjoy letting loose with a little  
La-da-dum-dum-dum"_

My favourite part! Every good – and not so good Disney-song – should have a la-da-dum-dum-dum. Because hands down, that would make them good! My feet moved on their own and wouldn't stop, tapping the beat during the song.

"_While we're emptying the vacuum  
It's such fun to hum  
A happy working song  
Oo-ooh  
A happy working sooong"_

I started to wonder if she was even able to play anything serious. Because she was justa big ball of sunshine wrapped in a tiny body. But maybe she just found her thing in playing crazy and overexcited women and doing that pretty much perfect.

As Lea and Kristin switched places I stopped asking myself if the young girl had 'no sing' in that part of the show though that would have been a waste of talent. And then she opened her mouth and her angelic voice filled the auditorium loud and clear, making the goosebumps start all over again.

„_I know you  
I walked with you once upon a dream.  
I know you  
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam  
Yes, I know it's true  
that visions are seldom all they seem  
But if I know you, I know what you'll do_  
_You'll love me at once  
the way you did once upon a dream"_

I think my jaw just dropped to the floor. It was too beautiful. She had her eyes closed for the whole time, her hands held slightly apart in front of her upper body. It resembled Callie's posture a lot. They were actually quite alike when it came to music. Both were feeling every single note and that made it so thoroughly enchanting.

James joined her right the second the music changed yet again, stepping up the pace. 'Aaawww great! No, better: fantastic!'

„_Now's your moment  
Floating in a blue lagoon  
Boy, you better do it soon  
No time will be better  
She don't say a word  
And she won't say a word  
Until you kiss the girl _

_Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Don't be scared  
You got the mood prepared  
Go on and kiss the girl  
Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Don't stop now  
Don't try to hide it how  
You wanna kiss the girl  
Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Float along  
Listen to the song  
The song say kiss the girl" _

His voice planted the picture of Ariel and Eric shipping under the big willow in my head. I could easily be floating with them right now. But as I opened my eyes again there was just one thing on my mind: I wanted to kiss my girl. I looked over to Calliope who had a wide grin on her face while standing as cool as a cucumber in her line and I really hoped she was just waiting for her next part.

James left Lea alone again, giving her the reins, so to speak. But before she started, she froze for a split second, staring at something behind me. I turned around and noticed a blonde woman in her mid-twenties, sneaking in and taking in one of the seats of the back row.

"_Whooohoohooaa", a voice roared from the stage.  
"No chance, no way  
I won't say it, no no"_

„_Give up, give in  
Check the grin you're in love"_  
I watched with a smile on my face as Callie, Kristin and Traci mimed the muses.

„_This scene won't play,  
I won't say I'm in love"_

„_You're doin flips read our lips  
You're in love"_

„_You're way off base I won't say it  
Get off my case I won't say it"_, Lea protested.

„_Girl, don't be proud  
It's O.K. you're in love"_

And I knew so well that it was very much okay.

„_At least out loud,  
I won't say I'm in love"_

And I would shout it from the rooftops at the top of my lungs until my voice would fade away and my throat would burn.

Lea left her place in the middle of the stage but she was not fast enough for me and I caught a glimpse of that slight smile on her lips, making it pretty clear to me, that Lea was just like Meg. Like me.

Adam stood at the front a sinister look in his eyes. One could think, he would just jump of the stage and eat you. But as the next melody turned up and filled the auditorium I knew why he was trying to scare everyone off. A good song, but still, a scary one. Even now, as an adult, I jumped every time.

"_I know that the powers of retention"_, he sang through gritted teeth, making it sound even more like the original. He wanted to show hate and anger and he was doing a good job – without a doubt.

„_Are as wet as a warthog's backside  
But thick as you are, pay attention  
My words are a matter of pride  
It's clear from your vacant expressions  
The lights are not all on upstairs  
But we're talking kings and successions  
Even you can't be caught unawares  
So prepare for a chance of a lifetime  
Be prepared for sensational news  
A shining new era  
Is tiptoeing nearer_

_Just listen to teacher  
I know it sounds sordid  
But you'll be rewarded  
When at last I am given my dues_  
_And injustice deliciously squared  
Be prepared!"_ He almost bellowed the last sentence in my direction. That I didn't flinch today was surprising to myself. Damn, he was so good. I think I didn't take a breath for at least two minutes, because suddenly, I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with some very much needed oxygen. Damn you, Adam! He just grinned at me and stepped back into the line of men while Lea and Nick made an appearance in front of me. How long was that part? I should not care at all, it was already my favourite part – aside from Callie's solos. But, Geez, it was pretty long.

The music changed and all I could do was tear my eyes wide open and bite my lips in anticipation, so I would not squeal out loud. 'Oh. My. God.'

"_I can show you the world"_, Nick started. He was the perfect Aladdin.

"_Shining shimmering splendid  
Tell me princess now when did you last let you heart decide?"_

"_Unbelievable sights"_, Lea's voice was just there. She never needed a warm up.  
_"Indescribable feeling  
Soaring, tumbling, free-wheeling  
Through an endless diamond sky"_

"_A whole new world  
A new fantastic point of view  
No one to tell us no  
Or where to go  
Or say we're only dreaming"_

What a combination. Low and high in full harmony as if they'd done nothing else their whole life. Or as if Emilio would be hot on their heels.

"_A whole new world  
A dazzling place I never knew  
But when I'm way up here  
It's crystal clear  
That now I'm in a whole new world with you  
Now I'm in a whole new world with you"_

The music faded out again and I wanted to jump out of my seat – again – clap my hands until they would be red and hurt. But almost instantly there was a light bridge, then a melody came up I knew way too well and Callie took place in the middle, humming in the beginning of 'Reflection'. She was seriously trying to kill me. Or to make me lose all control and willpower. Well, maybe both.

"_Look at me  
I will never pass for the perfect bride  
Or the perfect daughter"_

Oh Calliope. I was so happy that time was over and she finally had a daddy again. Still, I couldn't believe how she could not see how perfect she was.

"_Can it be  
I'm not meant to play this part?  
Now I see  
That if I were truly to be myself  
I would break my fam'ly's heart"_

Sometimes destiny could be a real bitch. Those lines. I saw the memories of the last weeks flashing her mind. As if they'd wrote that song for her.

„_Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight back at me?  
Why is my reflection someone I don't know?  
Somehow I cannot hide  
Who I am  
Though I've tried  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?"_

Shivers were running down my spine as she sang the last notes and they didn't stop as her voice faded out completely. It was like a musical orgasm. Was there such a thing? There had to be, because that right here? That was just going from one peak to the next.  
Her smile grew wider as she saw my reaction and in the meantime, James had stepped up next to her. I knew how their voices sounded together – the question was: would I be able to survive that if I didn't know what was waiting for me?

"_She glanced this way  
I thought I saw  
And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw" _Damn. That's exactly what I was afraid of.  
_"No it can't be, I'll just ignore  
But then she's never looked at me that way before"  
"Neeeeew and a bit alarming  
"Who'd have ever thought that this could beeeeeee?  
True that he's no prince charming  
But there's something in him that I simply didn't seeee"_

And while Callie and James were still singing, Traci joined them as well, creating a fabulous transition with the melody and her voice. Whoever had the idea and cut the songs together, had earned my respect for the rest of my whole life.

„_Ohhhhhh...isn't this amazing?  
it's my favorite part because...you'll see  
here's where she meets Prince Charming  
but she won't discover that it's him  
till chapter three_

_I want adventure in the great wide somewhere  
I want it more than I can tell  
And for once it might be grand  
To have someone understand  
I want so much more than they've got planned"_

All three of them stepped back into the rows of women and men as the sound of strings and flutes echoed off the walls and Kristin came up front again. I couldn't for the love of God contain my laughter. And even as she started, I could not stop. It was so good to hear that the old Disney-movies were not forgotten since everything had to be animated or 3D nowadays.

„_Salagadoola mechicka boola bibbidi-bobbidi-boo  
Put 'em together and what have you got  
bibbidi-bobbidi-boo  
Salagadoola mechicka boola bibbidi-bobbidi-boo  
It'll do magic believe it or not  
bibbidi-bobbidi-boo  
Salagadoola means mechicka booleroo  
But the thingmabob that does the job is  
bibbidi-bobbidi-boo  
bibbidi-bobbidi bibbidi-bobbidi bibbidi-bobbidi-boo"_

Kristin had definitely as much fun as I had from just watching her. Just like the rest of the group did. Mainly because she was waving around with an imaginary wand. So, even as Ewan took over from there, everybody was still giggling while he tried to focus on his next part.

„_I have often dreamed  
Of a far-off place  
Where a hero's welcome  
Will be waiting for me  
Where the crowds will cheer  
When they see my face  
And a voice keeps saying  
This is where I'm meant to be"_

I knew where I belonged. Right here, or rather right in the arms of my miraculous girlfriend. And I knew I would be there as soon as they would stop singing, well, as soon as I could get my legs to function again. Because right now, my muscles where like jelly. Disney combined with Calliope, definitely my kryptonite.

„_I'll be there someday  
I can go the distance  
I will find my way  
If I can be strong  
I will search the world  
I will face its harms  
Till I find my hero's welcome  
Waiting in your arms"_

The way he was standing there one could think, he was serious. And I was really starting to pity him.

The music changed once again and instantly I felt tears welling up behind my eyes. That was pretty unfair. Through my blurry vision I could see James standing there all alone and as he finally started to sing, I let one tear slip and roll down my cheek, followed by a second one and then a third. I just couldn't hold them back.

„_How could I face the faceless days  
If I should loohoose you nooow?  
Weeee're so close  
To reaching that famous happy end  
Almost believing this one's not pretend  
Let's go on dreaming for we know we aaare  
So close  
So close  
And still so far" _

The music died down completely and as I was still fighting my tears, banishing the memories from my head, Nick stepped forward and his voice sounded through the auditorium without any music to accompany him.

„_Cruella De Vil  
Cruella De Vil  
If she doesn't scare you  
No evil thing will  
To see her is to  
Take a sudden chill  
Cruella, Cruella De Vil"_

Great. Just great. From one extreme to the other. Holding my belly because of all the laughter. That weird moving of his hands as if he was trying to cast a spell on someone. He was hilarious. Maybe he and Kristin could do a show together?

And as he stepped back, I watched in surprise and question as the two rows formed one large line of singers and Callie stepping out of it, standing right in front of me. There was no music and if you'd listen carefully enough, you could still hear the giggles bubbling out of Kristin.

"Arizona, this was my little present for you. Well, of course, the others helped...a little. Anyways, I know you don't like your birthday but to me that day is pretty special because if that day would not exist, you would not be in my life after all", she said, flashing me her megawatt smile. "Happy birthday" she said and I could barely hear the words. I wanted to stand up and thank her but she just raised her hand, telling me to stay where I was. So, I did.

Seven people started to hum a melody and then it finally hit me. In the same moment, Callie's voice could be heard over the humming voices, making my heart flutter.

„_No wonder your heart feels it's flying  
Your head feels it's spinning  
Each happy ending's a brand new beginning  
Let yourself be enchanted  
You just might break through to_

_Ever ever after  
Forever could even start today  
Ever ever after  
Maybe it's just one wish away  
Your ever ever after_

_Ever Ever Ever After_

_Oooh Ever Ever After"_

There was nothing holding me back now, or, holding me down in that seat for that matter. I jumped up, ran up the few stairs onto the stage and wrapped my arms around the tanned neck of my girl. Let the others think what they wanted. I didn't care at all. I crashed our lips together and it took a few seconds until Callie relaxed into the kiss but frankly, she should have expected that. Everything that had happened right now – the last minutes that could easily have been days without me noticing because I honestly had no idea how much time it really was – it was so unforgettable. So breath-taking and all consuming.

I let go of her lips for a short moment to whisper a 'thank you' and an 'I love you' before I kissed her again.

* * *

Tracklist:

Circle of life – Lion King – Ewan & Traci  
You'll be in my heart – Tarzan – Ewan  
Part of your world – The little Mermaid – Traci  
Friend like me – Aladdin – Nick  
One of us – The Lion King 2 - Ewan & Kristin & Roger  
Colours of the wind – Pocahontas - Callie  
I'll make a man out of you – Mulan – Roger  
Happy working song – Enchanted – Kristin  
Once upon a dream – Sleeping beauty – Lea  
Kiss the girl – The little Mermaid – James  
I won't say (I'm in love) - Hercules – Lea  
Be prepared – Lion King – Roger  
Whole new world – Aladdin – Nick & Lea  
Reflection – Mulan – Callie  
Something there – Beauty and the Beast – Callie & James  
Bibbidi bobbidi boo – Cinderella – Kristin  
I can go the distance – Hercules – Ewan  
So close – Enchanted – James  
Belle – Beauty and the Beast – Traci  
Cruella Deville – 101 Dalmatians – Nick  
Ever ever after – Enchanted – Callie / all

* * *

AN2: Of course I don't own anything. Not the characters, not the people and not the lyrics and songs I just thought it would be nice to give Arizona some Disney stuff when Yang and even Callie call her that. I think, it suits her though.

AN3: Geez, that was the longest chapter and I really had a hard time translating it and not using the same words every second or third sentence. If I sucked, well, tell me. I can take it.

AN4: A really BIG thank you to my beta who had to read my mistakes^^ And she's doing such a good job and trying to correct it as soon as possible though she too has a job and a family and really, she wouldn't have to do that for me. But she's just so nice :)

AN5: And to the nice reviewer who made that comment about KChen: I completely agree with you so I just had to use your comment, I hope you don't mind.

AN6: Up next: some secrets (no bad ones though) and a little sexy time :D


	30. Chapter 30

AN: Well, I hope I didn't scare you off with the last chapter. I know there was a lot of music in it, but we do have a similar thing here in Germany, it's called Best of Musical and there was a Disney-part in it and I just loved that part!

* * *

**Callie's POV**

Who's that?", Arizona asked me, pointing in the direction of that petite blonde woman who had sneaked in during my little surprise and had sat down in one of the back rows.

"That's Dianna."

Arizona studied my face, arched an eyebrow and said finally, "Dianna. Of course. How could I not know her. So, Dianna who?"

I couldn't hide the smirk that was tugging at my lips. After just a few days I was so used to having them around, that I didn't even consider that Arizona didn't know her before and that they hadn't met. "Dianna Agron", I answered.

"Seriously? That's not helping either."

"She is Lea's best friend. They were together on Glee. Well, not together together...you know?"

"Oh, Calliope, I'm really sorry to disappoint you, but these two, they are definitely more than just best friends. They _are _together."

"Arizona-"

"No, Calliope", she cut me off. "You couldn't see that look in Lea's eyes that she shot the blonde when she was singing Meg. And you didn't see the smile on her face right after as their eyes locked for a brief second, but I did. I am a hundred percent sure, that they are more than friends. Because frankly, I know that look."

"You do?"

"Mhmm", she hummed. "Just wait and see and then know I was right."

"Okay", I answered pretty sure that she was misreading the signs. But the confident smirk left my face very fast as I could witness a very intimate embrace between the blonde and the brunette myself.

"So, do you believe me now?", Arizona asked cocky.

"Well, no. An embrace means nothing", I answered quickly. Addie and I hug each other like that pretty often..."

"You do? Well, I really hope that you and Addie don't do that as well", Arizona chuckled as Dianna obviously and for everybody to see pulled Lea in for a deep kiss.

"Uhm..."

"Calliope?", she asked in a warning voice.

"What?"

"You and Addison...you never...you didn't...I mean...you didn't have sex with her, did you?"  
"What? No. Never. Addie is as straight as Mark. She would never be interested in a woman. And even more important, I would never be interested in her in a sexual way. That would feel like having sex with my own sister and that's just eeewww." I shuddered at the thought of that.

"Good to know", she said smiling.

"You think that's funny, right?"

"Very much."

"That's just so you! How would you react if I'd ask you about Teddy and if the two of you had a past other than friendship?"

"Well, there's nothing to ask for. Two kisses, both during a pretty drunken state and a game of truth or dare. Really nothing to talk about. Teddy is my best friend but she's way to boney for my liking", she said bluntly.

"Two kisses?", I asked in disbelieve.

"Calliope, I was seventeen and eighteen and our friends thought it was funny to let Teddy kiss a girl because she would turn beet red and down her beer afterwards whether the bottle was almost empty or still full to the brim. It was just a very safe way to get her drunk. And a drunk Teddy is a funny Teddy. A highlight. Now and then."

We both had to laugh. It was true. Teddy and booze were a really good combination for everybody around her. For herself, not so much. Everybody can out drink her, even Lexie and she gets inebriated pretty easily. I still remembered Teddy's first evening with us at Joe's and Cristina challenging her to drink as much as she could and as fast as she could. Well, let's just say that Teddy failed big time. Admittedly, the only one who could beat Cristina in a 'Tequila-competition' was Meredith and that was because they were practicing that little game for years. Teddy though, she did not last that long and started to babble meaningless nonsense, entertaining all of us.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

"Huh?"

"You just seemed to be a mile away", Arizona said. "What's up?"

"I just relived in my mind Teddy's first night at Joe's with us."

"Oh yeah. I remember that night. You were wearing that super tight dark washed jeans and a red top with a very low cut neckline. And then you somehow convinced Mark to dance with you and then, when your curves swayed to the beat of the song...well...let's just say I had a really good dream that night that was anything but innocent", she whispered in my ear.

"You...what?" As I just got a wide grin in return, I shook my head and said, "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"Mhmm...unbelievably wet for you", she breathed and nibbled at my earlobe.

"Arizona", I gasped. "We can't...Emilio will be here in a bit and...rehearsals..."

"Mean. You can't just refresh my memory and plant that picture in my head and then tell me to wait", she pouted.

"This is all my fault, of course, Arizona."  
"Glad we're on the same page here. But at least I finally get to hear you sing 'Defying Gravity', she said, intertwined our fingers and walked me back to her seat in the first row.

I gulped audible. I had been too nervous about Arizona's birthday present that my brain had completely blocked out that little fact.

"Hey", she said, placing her hand against my cheek, "everybody that's here today knows that you are great and that you can do it."

"Arizona, you know that little piece of art so well and I assume everybody does. It's Idina's song. I can't compete with her. She's Idina Menzel...Idina es mucho mejor. Por el amor de _Cristo_ es Idina Menzel." (Idina is much better. For the love of God she's Idina Menzel.)

"Ssshhh", she stopped me by pressing her forefinger on my lips. "No Spanish please. I don't speak Spanish. You are great. You. Are. Damn. Great", she said. "And you should not compare yourself to Idina. Just be yourself. Be that gorgeous singer we all know you are, because that's the one everybody wants to here. You, Calliope Torres."

"But-"

"No buts", Arizona said and shook her head. "Or would you try to compare Meredith to Cristina?"

I answered with a slight shaking of my head.

"See. And now, claim that stage as yours, Emilio keeps eying you with excitement and anticipation and I really, _really_want to hear _you_ sing that song."

**Arizona's POV**

"God, Arizona", Callie moaned. "Ari-"

Almost the same second we finally made it through the door of Callie's hotel room, I had pushed her up against that door. I had spent the last few hours of today's afternoon controlling my desire for that woman. Because, aside from Callie's solo, Lea's sole 'On my own' had been scheduled for this afternoon as well. And it had not been the only one, but to be honest, I didn't pay much attention to any of them because I had a hard time trying to ignore the overpowering throbbing between my legs and my chest. It was almost unbearable.

"Jesus, Arizona", Callie groaned between all the other sounds that spilled from those full lips as my fore- and middle finger were buried deep inside of her since I'd pushed them between the fabric of her pants and her body.  
With every thrust I pressed her into the wooden door again and again and sometimes maybe a little too hard. The other hand moved under her shirt and started to knead a full breast through her lacy bra. I knew that I repeated myself as I whispered in her ear how much I appreciated her curvaceous body. But she rewarded me with the feeling of a pebbled nipple in my palm and parted lips. The sounds that kept erupting them were sending new waves of lust through every vein. "Come for me, Calliope", I breathed against her neck, right against her pounding pulse point.

Her moans increased and got higher until she bit her bottom lip to suppress any sound. I could watch her like that for hours. That little moment right before she tumbled over the edge into an intense orgasm, it was perfection. She looked even more beautiful then. "Come for me, Calliope", I said anew pushing hard inside her again, using my thigh to add more force behind my thrusts, making my fingers go even deeper.

"Aaah", she scremed. "Fuck!"  
"That's it, Calliope. You know you're close. I want you to come." I pumped my fingers faster in and out of her core and heard her breathing matching my pace. I knew she was almost there. Her inner muscles we tensing tight around my fingers, keeping them trapped so all I could do was curl my fingers and stroke that sweet spot inside of her, knowing it would double every jolt of passion she was feeling right now.

"Calliope, let go."

Her torso arched into my hand as her orgasm finally ripped through her body, making her shudder and searching for something to hold on to. I held her against the door with my body pressed into hers, my fingers still inside her but not moving.

When I was sure she could stand on her own feet without falling and taking me down with her, I opened her pants all the way and shoved it down her tanned legs. Her panties following soon after.

"Arizona", she panted. "Breathe."

"Mhmm, later", I grinned, slid down her half naked body and parted her legs with some light pushes of my hand. Licking my lips in anticipation as I could smell her arousal, I had to admit that she was like a drug to me. I was addicted to her scent since I went down on her for the first time. Kneeling down right in front of her I started to kiss up her inner right thigh, licking and nibbling at her skin all the way from her leg to her groin.

"Arizona", she warned. But almost instantly, her warning was replaced with another, much louder "OH GOD", as my tongue stroke over the swollen bundle of nerves between her legs for the first time today. I couldn't hold back the moan as her juices made the taste buds in my mouth explode. I wanted, _needed _more of her, so I let my tongue run along the length of her slid, parting her wet folds and trying to catch every last drop.

Callie pressed herself more against my hot mouth, her fingers had a strong hold on my hair. It was something between wanting more and making me stop at the same time. It was a wonderful feeling.

I sucked her engorged clit into my mouth, electing new sounds of pleasure from her luscious lips immediately. Her hands were tangled in my hair, pressing my mouth even more into her core, telling me she needed it.

"Ar...Ari-zo...Arizona! Don't...don't stop, please. Uggghhnnn that feels...your tongue...it feels so good. Don't stop", she pleaded.

Never. My tongue and lips were a pretty good team when it came to pleasing my girlfriend and sending her into other spheres. I knew where to lick, where to suck, where to stroke her gently with my tongue. When I needed to stiffen that well trained muscle of my mouth and when she'd rather feel the flat tongue. I knew her weak spot, whether it was behind her ear or down here. And I knew how to drive her insane and into oblivion. But today, I didn't want that. I wanted her to come – again. In my mouth. I wanted to savor everything she was offering me.

As I grazed my teeth slightly over the erect nerve, she jumped right off the cliff into her second journey of pure bliss. Her knees gave in and she slumped down with her back against the door until her hot ass met the floor.

"Hallelujah", she said, almost voiceless.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't wait. I just had to have you."

"It's okay. Can I sleep here?" she asked.

I laughed at her. Despite her denying it every time, she was adorable. "You can rest here."

"Okay. I am...exhausted. Where did that come from?"

"Today's our last night together and I really had to thank you for one of the most amazing birthday presents. Plus, if we wouldn't have been stuck with your rehearsals in that theater for hours, there probably wouldn't have been so much pent up lust.

"Next time remind me to give you a present where we don't even have to leave the house."  
"I'll try", I laughed. "Come", I stood up and held out my hand for her, "I think you could use a hot shower. You smell like sex", I added with a wink.

She scoffed. "Well, whose fault is that?"  
"Mine...", I answered proudly. "Come on. The faster you get that sexy body of yours in and out of the shower, the faster we can snuggle up in that bed"

"Sounds enticing. But only when you are already in that bed, waiting for me. Preferably naked by the time I get there."

"I thought you were exhausted."  
"Mhmm...just let me refill some energy in that shower."

* * *

AN2: I know this chapter was a little shorter. But I wanted to get another chaper done before the weekend is over :(

AN3:Up next: well, no going away, at least no written one. I spare you the goodbyes for later chapters. Instead, Callie's coming to Seattle and we have a little fun because I really need some fun :)


	31. Chapter 31

AN: Finally! Sorry for the long wait, I just couldn't get myself to translate. Little Arizona and little Callie were too fascinating, so I kinda ignored the German version of You are the Musin in me. Sorry. I can't promise that it won't happen again...and I am even more sorry for that. I just go with the flow and what I want to do at the moment. The good thing is though, that I will always update one story or the other. Maybe not on a daily basis, because I still have a job, a boss and a life (well not so much life, to be honest), but I try to do my best and use all the time I can to write/translate or at least brainstorm.

AN2: And now sorry for the long AN =)

* * *

**Callie's POV**

"Torres!", I could hear Mark yelling for me. Home. I was finally back in Seattle. For a whole three days, I'll be home.

"Mark!", I fell into his awaiting arms.

"It's good to have you back."

"It's not like we haven't seen each other in over a year. I was gone for 19 days, Mark. Geez, that's not that long", I hushed him. Though, I could feel it too. Seattle welcomed me with a blue sky, no clouds, no rain in the air. It was a warm day, 28 degrees, maybe more. I still missed the rain, but this sunny weather was so nice. "How are you doing?"

"You know me Torres, I'm okay", he answered.

"Did you..?" My mind replayed the phone call my best friend and I had the very minute I watched my girlfriend walk through the secure gates of the airport. It had been her first and up until now, her only visit in New York and since then, well, we survived through Skype and evening calls.

****Flashback****

"Come on Sloan, pick up!" My foot was tapping a hole into the ground as I impatiently waiting for my best friend to hear his damn phone.

"Sloan?"

"Ha! As if you'd not seen the caller ID, Mark."

"Oh, our superstar is calling. Everything going okay in New York? Or do you miss me so much that you have to call me at night already? I know, it's hard to live without me."

"It's not later than 6pm in Seattle, Mark. Besides, I'm not calling to hear your not so beautiful voice but for a really good and important reason..."

"Okay, let me guess. The reason's named after a brunette bitch called Joanne. Furthermore, that bitch dug her own grave with her behavior and nobody wants to have anything to do with her."

I grinned. "Mark, listen. You have to keep an eye on Arizona. Please, for me. I don't care how you do it, just do it, okay? I would do it by myself, but..."

"Torres, I got it. You want me to play personal security for Robbins."

"Mark", I started, but stopped myself as any thought in the one direction let the words die down in my throat. "Thank you", I whispered and exhaled in relief at his typical way of confirmation. Knowing he would be there had me worrying a little less.

****End of flashback****

"Of course. Everything for my best friend, Cal. Arizona is fine. Teddy and I were with her practically around the clock when we were at the studios. She has spent almost every night at Teddy's or with Teddy at your house. That is, except for the time she was on the phone with you. How are you? How is it, being a part of Broadway?"

"Couldn't be better, actually. The team is great, still, nothing compared to you guys."

"'Cause we are too amazing", he joked. "But really, I am happy to have you here, even if it's just for a few days."

"Me too, Mark. Me too."

"Well then, let's go and surprise Blondie."

"Will you ever stop calling her that and call her Arizona instead?"

"You want an honest answer?", he asked and I nodded. "Never", he answered with a smug grin on his face as he heaved my luggage into the trunk of his car.

We spent the ride back to my house, my home, in silence. I held my hand out of the rolled down window of the passenger's seat, enjoying the wind as it blew cold against my fingertips. Home. A warm feeling rushed through me. Excitement combined with insecurity floated through my entire body. No more than thirty minutes and I would be home. For three days. And Arizona had no idea. I was just a lucky coincidence on a very short notice that I would get to spent one day more with the most important person in my life. A flue attack that had Emilio, Misses Chén _and _Bridget tied to their beds. And I was so happy about that. I knew I was mean, but it gave me more time with my love.

"Hey, are you still with me or is your mind already in bed with Robbins, doing nasty things?", Mark teased.

"What?"

He laughed. "Good to know you're still the same, Torres."

"What are you talking about?"

"You'd like to know that, wouldn't you? I talked to you for at least ten minutes and all you did was staring out of the front shield."

"I am sorry. I'm just happy to be home."

"You mean, you're happy to keep Robbins locked in your bedroom for the whole three days", he laughed.

"Even if you can't imagine it, Mark, but it's not all about sex."

"Well, it is for me", he countered.

"Well then, if you should ever really ask yourself why your relationships don't work, you just gave yourself the answer to that question."

"Hey!", he protested loudly. "I'm back with Lexie!"

"Yeah. But tell me, how long exactly did you last and _not _look after one of the female supernumeraries just because she's playing a nurse? Really, Mark. If you want a real chance with Lexie, you have to stop thinking with little Sloan. Because that's your last chance and if you mess this up again because you can't keep it in your pants, you're a lost case."

"I still remember the time when _you _were pretty good at staring too. So, no judging here."

"But more often than not, you don't look with your eyes only."

"Robbins changed you a lot."

"And I wouldn't want it any other way", I answered, a big smile on my face. "Some people are worth to change for. It's not easy to find them, but if you do, you better listen and let them change you for the better."

The smile on Mark's face mirrored mine perfectly. "And just for the case of being honest, I'm really glad that Hahn was not one of those people."

"Never", I answered and then we fell back into our comfortable silence.

* * *

"Hey Torres, wait", Mark yelled after me as I reached the top of the stairs to my house. "Fancy sitting down with your best – and I repeat, _best _friend, downing a bottle of beer before Blondie gets home?"

"Uhm...sure, why not?", I answered hesitatingly. The original plan was to freshen up a little and lay down at the pool and just wait. I could really imagine Arizona's face lighting up in surprise when she got home, finding me in the backyard, wearing nothing but a little sexy bikini. "But I'd like to take a shower first, so you have to entertain yourself for a bit", I added. I could still kick him out in time, right?

"Are you saying you want me to spend ten to fifteen minutes all alone in that big house of yours? Torres, how can you do that to me", he joked, faking a pout as I turned the key in the lock.

"You'll survive, Sloan", I laughed and entered my home. "What's that?"

"What's what?", Mark countered.

"There's music", I answered.

"I don't hear any music."

"Yeah, 'cause you're deaf", I stated.

"Sometimes not deaf enough, though", he grinned and pushed me down the hallway.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing", he answered and shoved me further into my house into the piano room, past the black monster and right to the big windows.

"Mark, what-"

"SURPRISE!"

My head jerked into the direction of the sound. Right in front of me stood the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life with the most intensive and shining blue eyes, with a smile so wide that her dimples were out on full force. 'Breathe, Callie, breathe', I reminded myself.

"Welcome home", she whispered, pulling me in by the collar of my shirt. Our lips met in a kiss that heated up pretty fast, giving everybody around us a show until a cough behind my back made us pull away and back into reality.

"Surprise?", Arizona grinned over my shoulder to Mark.

"You", I turned around. "You knew about it!"

"Of course."

"And what's even worse, you told her I'd be home a day early?"

"Uhm, no. That was Lexie...but she didn't do it on purpose", he explained.

"I see. So, you just thought it would be fun to mess with me while making yourself a double agent?"

"I've always wanted to be like James Bond", he answered. "Don't you think I'd make an excellent 007? With the suits and the guns and everything?"

I ignored him and turned back to my girlfriend instead. I could make out the straps of her bikini top under her shirt. 'Well...in that case...' I made a step towards her, then another and another until she had no other choice than walking backwards.

"Calliope, what are you doing? Come on, it was fun. And nothing happened. No one's hurt or anything. Actually...look, everybody's here and we are all so happy to have you back for the weekend. And when we finally kick them out, I'll show you how happy I am that you are here, and-"

Words were leaving her mouth in an unstoppable rambling, but my eyes were locked on her beautiful lips and how they were moving with every new word Arizona was saying.

"Calliope...", she warned me. But it was too late. We stood not even four foot away from the edge of the pool and I could finally get my revenge for when she pulled me in the other night we shared our first kiss.

With one quick move I had her scooped up, her legs dangling over my left arm as I supported her upper body with my right arm and hand as she automatically wrapped her arms around my neck, holding on to me very tight.

"Oh no! You don't dare to do that!", she squealed.

"Wanna bet?", I challenged as she started to wriggle in my arms.

"No. No. NO!", she shrieked. "Calliope! Callie!"

"Three...", I started to count. "Two..." Her blue eyes were glaring at me. "One."

"Calliopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeee!", I heard her high pitched voice and then: silence. The water surrounding us swallowed every sound above the surface.

I pushed myself up from the ground and dragged her along with me. We both gasped for much needed air as a pale hand brushed wet hair out of her beautiful face.

"Hey! Robbins opened up the pool party!", Mark yelled, pushed first Lexie into the pool – who luckily was already in her bikini – and jumped in right after her.

"I can't believe you seriously did it!"

"I am so sorry. I just like it too much when you are...", I swam over to her, "wet", I whispered and climbed up the ladder. "I'll go and get changed. Maybe...you should do the same. Your clothes are dripping", I said grinning and walked back into the house.

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

As I entered our – well, that sound was never going to get old – _our _bedroom, I saw my stunningly beautiful Latina standing in front of the mirror. Her hands propped up on her hips, she turned to the left, then to the right showing of the amazing navy blue bikini she was wearing, all the time eying her reflection with a skeptical look.

I stepped closer to her and just breathed her in. Her unique scent that was just screaming Calliope. "Mhmm, you look amazing. And you smell even better", I whispered and pressed myself into her body. A wonderful warmth rushed through my body. "It feels so good to have you here", I finally said and kissed her shoulder blade. Putting my arms around her waist, I took a look in the mirror myself. My pale skin was a pure contrast to her bronze complexion, but it made me smile every time.

"You're all wet", she stated.

"And whose fault is that?" I asked and turned her around to face me. "But I do have to admit, that my view is...", stopping for a moment, I inhaled deeply, "definitely one I imagined over the last nights."

She raised one of her perfect shaped eyebrows and looked at me quizzically. But before she could even form the words to ask her question, I grabbed her hand and shoved it down between the still drenched fabric of my bikini bottom and my dripping center.

Her eyes went wide, darkened with desire and want until they were almost black. "Ugh...God"

"Mhmm", I moaned quietly as she started to move her fingers.

"We should...", she tried but didn't end her sentence.

"I know", I answered between ragged breaths.

"They are...", she tried again, but this time I cut her attempt to stop us off with my hand that easily found its way into her pants as well, giving in to the craving my fingertips have had all the time we had to spent apart.

"I know", I said anew.

"Fuck, Arizona", she groaned, as her body reacted to my ministrations.

"Calliope-"

"We can't, we...guests", she tried a third time, albeit her fingers didn't stop at all, still moving in delicious circles over my clit.

"I don't care", I breathed in her ear and pushed my fore- and middle finger inside her. God, how much I had missed this feeling. Feeling her around my fingers, her inner muscles clenching and contracting. We were both so engrossed in our touches and kisses, the world around us didn't exist anymore. But, in our defense, we didn't see each other for almost two weeks, didn't get the chance to kiss or even to look into each other's eyes. And just because of that, our lips met again and again and the kiss ignited the fire of lust and passion even more. "Callie", I moaned against her full lips. "I...fuck...I want...need more."

With her free hand, she unbuttoned my shorts and unzipped it. Tugging at the hem, the wet fabric didn't move that much, which led Callie to groan in frustration.

"Hey, Robbins, where's-?"

"SLOAN!" We quickly pulled apart, as we heard Mark's voice, but Callie's hand remained in my pants. 'That was so not part of my plan!'

"Wow, uhm...nice. You two need some help?", he tried.

"Get out!", Callie yelled, giving him the Torres-glare.

"Oohhnngoooddd", I mumbled into the crook of her neck as I heard the door being closed, inhaling her scent again at the same time. "That's so embarrassing."

"Well, at least we were wearing some clothes."

Gross! I shook my head. "I don't even wanna think about that."

"Yeah, mood killer", she laughed.

"Definitely!"

A whimper left my lips as she pulled her fingers out and held her hand in front of her lips with a seductive smile.

"Mhmm", she sighed, her tongue licking her fingers clean, one after one.

I gulped hard. That view was almost too much for me. It could easily turn my brain to mush in a second.

"Close your mouth, Arizona", she laughed, pulling a dark red tank top over her head and slipping into perfect fitting white shorts.

"It's not fair, you know that?", I asked as the ability to speak came back.

"What's not fair?"

"A lot. For one, you can wear those white shorts without even thinking about it. Just because you got lucky and were born as a Latina. And two, your legs look more than just divine in that thing. And that's just not fair", I pouted.

"You're wearing shorts, too", I said and smiled. "And you know how much I appreciate your legs. How much they turn me on." To emphasize her statement, she let her fingers trail up and down the inside of my thigh. "Hot legs", she said in a hoarse voice.

"Okay, seriously, stop. You have to stop. Right now. Because otherwise I can't guarantee anything. And I for one do not want that our friends hear you scream my name."

Now it was her turn to swallow down the lust that was racing through her veins.

"We better get our butts downstairs", I added.

"Yeah...we better do that."

* * *

"Well, that was fast", Teddy laughed.

"What are you talking about?", I asked with an innocent smile as my eyes were already scanning the backyard for Mark. Yes, he had been my double agent over the past few days and yes, he and Teddy were godsend when it came to Joanne, but unfortunately that didn't mean he would stop with the gossiping.

"Oh, come on, Arizona. Don't act like you don't know what I mean. Sloan told me everything. Well, everything he could see and that was her hand in your panties and your hand in hers.

A glimpse to Callie told me, that she had a hard time stopping the blood from flushing to her cheeks and a little bit of her cleavage.

"You know, I understand it. Really. The distance. Joanne and everything that comes with her. But do you think you can keep your hands off each other for a few more hours or should I kick out _your_ guests?"

"Funny, Altman, really funny."

"Well, if that isn't our two lovebirds", Mark walked over to us.

"Sloan, I swear to you: one more word and you wish I'd actually be an Ortho surgeon and I'd know how to fix your nose", Callie warned.

"You would never punch me. You'd maybe throw me in the pool like you did with Robbins", he laughed and Teddy joined him. "But, that reminds me...I am really sorry Cal, but I am taking my job as Arizona's bodyguard pretty serious..."

"Hey", Callie turned around to face me. "I thought you said that Joanne's keeping her shit to herself?"

"She does", I shrugged. "Teddy and Mark don't leave me alone for a minute. Even when I try to sneak away, they are like some old ninja's or something. They are everywhere."

"Mark, what are you talk-"

She was interrupted by Mark who grabbed her legs and threw her over shoulder.

'Oh oh.'

"MAAARK!", Callie's voices echoed through the air as he made some big steps towards the pool.

"Oh no Mark, don't you dare!"

"You should know me better than that", I heard his voice and I could do nothing to hide the smirk. Callie was going to get a taste of her own medicine.

"Come on, Mark. I just got changed. Let me at least take of my clothes except for my bikini. Please. As soon as that happened, you can throw, push, kick me into the pool as often as you want. Pleeeeeeeeeease", she whined, drumming with her hands on his butt cheeks.

"No. Not a chance."

"Mark Sloan!"

He stopped right in front of the pool, winked in my direction before he bent forwards. Callie tried to hold on to him as if her life depended on it, but it was useless.

"Have fun in the water, Calliope!", I yelled and laughed out loud as she was thrown in by Mark, landing with a big splash. "Come on, Teds", I dragged my best friend along and ran with a lot speed to the pool. Since my clothes were still wet anyways, I jumped right in not five seconds after my girlfriend resurfaced with a big gasp for air. Mark and Lexie followed suit.  
If I wouldn't know any better, I'd say we were some crazy teenagers on a hot summer day. But to be honest, it was so good to see Calliope acting so free and careless. No Joanne, no over-catholic mother who was probably still denying the fact that her daughter was in love with a woman. No Mrs. Chén, no Bridget, no Emilio– even though she had him wrapped around her little finger with her voice. But still, no worries. And as her laughter filled the air around me, it made its way straight to my heart. It was one of those moments we lived for. The ones we treasure for a lifetime. The ones, that mattered the most. And on top of that, it was one moment we shared.  
I was so relieved that the latest season of 'Heartbeat' would be done in about ten days from now. The flight was already booked. Seattle to New York, September 8th, 10.15am. That day would be the beginning of six weeks nonstop Calliope. 42 nights of falling asleep next to her. 41 days of music. Speaking of...

**Thoughts? Like? Don't like?**

* * *

AN3: Up next: some music =) After all, it's called You are the Music in Me, right?


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